Money Tree Investing

Dump your tech because this sector is booming and we are going to tell you what it is! Today we talk the sharp risk-off shift across markets as recent selloffs in crypto, precious metals, and especially technology reflect excessive greed being unwound rather than a systemic collapse. This is not a buy-the-dip environment, and you shouldn't be chasing volatility-heavy assets like crypto and metals too early. We also highlight a clear rotation of liquidity away from growth and speculative assets into value-oriented, defensive sectors such as healthcare, consumer staples, industrials, utilities, energy, and select international stocks, as these boring, low-beta areas are sometimes outperforming amid tech weakness, layoffs, earnings disappointments, and rising macro uncertainty, making capital preservationn and patience more important than chasing rebounds. We discuss...  Markets are undergoing a clear risk-off rotation, with speculative assets like tech, crypto, and precious metals selling off after periods of extreme greed and overcrowded positioning. Precious metals remain in a long-term bull market but may require one to two years of consolidation before sustainably moving higher. Crypto's sharp drawdowns and volatility are described as a feature, not a flaw, but current volatility suggests it is not yet an attractive risk-reward entry. Capital is rotating into value and defensive sectors such as healthcare, consumer staples, utilities, energy, and industrials. Value stocks are outperforming growth stocks, marking a notable regime shift from the past decade's market leadership. Defensive, cash-flow-generating businesses are highlighted as portfolio stabilizers during periods of market stress. Weakening labor market data and rising layoffs are adding to macro uncertainty and undermining the soft-landing narrative. Correlations across risk assets are rising, reducing the diversification benefits of traditionally speculative assets like crypto. Market indices such as the NASDAQ are less reflective of pure tech weakness due to non-tech constituents providing offsetting support. Liquidity is described as moving like water, flowing out of stressed sectors and into areas showing relative strength. The January seasonal "risk-on" effect failed to materialize, suggesting macro forces are overpowering historical patterns. Short-term technical indicators show elevated volatility but not yet a definitive structural breakdown. Investors are encouraged to focus on where money is flowing rather than what looks cheap after a selloff. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/this-sector-is-booming-789 

Commercial real estate veteran Ben Reinberg shares how he uses hard assets and smart debt to strengthen his investing portfolio. He shares his journey from starting in his early 20s to building a national hard-asset portfolio across industrial, office, retail, multifamily, and medical real estate. We talk the importance of the "ability to hold" assets through cycles by avoiding over-leverage, maintaining reserves, and structuring smart debt. Ben outlines where commercial real estate sits in the current cycle, highlighting looming debt maturities, distressed opportunities, and the potential for attractive buying conditions over the next few years. We discuss... Ben Reinberg explains how he built wealth starting in his early 20s by focusing on hard assets, particularly commercial real estate, as a long-term strategy for cash flow and financial control. He emphasizes the importance of becoming a true expert in a specific asset class rather than spreading focus too broadly. He shares lessons from his first industrial deal, including managing tenant loss, repositioning assets, and creating value through active ownership. A central theme was the "ability to hold," meaning structuring investments to survive any market cycle without being forced to sell. He stressed using smart debt, avoiding over-leverage (generally keeping loan-to-value around 65%), and maintaining ample reserves. The discussion highlighted why medical office real estate is recession- and pandemic-resilient, with high tenant renewal rates and stable cash flow. Reinberg explained how inflation, tariffs, and rising costs affect tenants and property operations across different real estate sectors. The episode explored how real estate acts as an inflation hedge through rent growth, escalators, and long-term asset appreciation. They discussed the current commercial real estate downturn, driven by higher rates, falling values, and large amounts of debt coming due. Reinberg argued that the next few years may present some of the best commercial real estate buying opportunities in decades. He warned investors to be cautious, underwrite deals conservatively, and focus on tenant quality and market fundamentals. We have an optimistic outlook for 2026–2028, expecting lower rates, increased liquidity, more transactions, and improving economic stability. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/hard-assets-and-smart-debt-ben-reinberg-788 

Silver crashed! Today we focus on a historic bout of volatility in precious metals following months of extreme, unhealthy gains. We figure out if the selloff was driven by the announcement of a new Fed chair or severe technical overextension, crowded positioning that triggered profit-taking, shorting, and forced de-risking. We also talked the implications of a potentially growth-leaning but inflation-conscious Fed, ongoing structural risks like debt, deficits, and sticky inflation, and why monetary policy alone can't solve them. We reviewed the January market performance, and noticed strength in energy, materials, commodities, and international equities versus lagging tech and software. Markets are rotating regimes, not ending trends, and investors should focus on risk management, diversification, and long-term planning rather than reacting emotionally to short-term chaos. We discuss... We unpacked a historic spike in precious-metals volatility, with silver experiencing extreme, record-level swings after months of unsustainably rapid gains. The Fed chair news was described as a "match, not the bonfire," triggering a correction that was already statistically inevitable at extreme standard deviations. Volatility selling, options hedging, and large institutional short positioning likely amplified the downside move in silver. The gold-silver ratio had reached stretched levels, making a snapback or rebalancing between gold and silver unavoidable. Despite the violent correction, the broader precious-metals bull trend was viewed as intact rather than broken. Gold was described as healthier than silver due to steady institutional and central-bank buying. We covered how computers, systematic strategies, and risk managers now dominate market mechanics at volatility extremes. Rate cuts may come sooner than expected, but structural issues like debt, deficits, and sticky inflation remain unresolved. Markets so far reacted modestly outside of commodities, suggesting rotation rather than systemic stress. Energy and commodities were highlighted as key areas to watch in an inflation-sensitive environment. International equities significantly outperformed U.S. markets, reinforcing the case for global diversification. A small bank failure highlighted lingering credit and balance-sheet risks despite limited systemic impact. Midterm election seasonality was discussed as a potential source of higher volatility and uneven returns.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/silver-crashed-787  

Jean-Baptiste Wautier is here to talk growing global debt and the impact on the economy. He draws on decades of private-equity and macro experience to discuss accelerating global change, arguing that rising debt, AI, and political polarization are reshaping the economic and geopolitical order. We discuss Europe's recent market strength, China as an unavoidable, though risky, investment given its scale and AI ambitions, and gold and crypto as hedges rather than true currency alternatives. He also warms that global debt dynamics will force restructuring in places like Japan and parts of Europe, and concludes that AI is likely transformative but slower and more socially disruptive than markets assume, ultimately requiring a rethink of productivity, employment, and even how economic progress is measured. We discuss... Jean-Baptiste Wautier argued that today's environment reflects an acceleration of long-term forces—debt accumulation, AI as a fourth industrial revolution, and rising political polarization—rather than a completely unprecedented moment. He suggested populism can be reversed without extreme disruption if governments deliver tangible economic fixes, citing Italy as an example of pragmatic reform restoring democratic confidence. Wautier emphasized that middle-class affordability, youth opportunity, and fiscal credibility are the core issues driving political instability in Western democracies. He criticized the lack of democratic oversight of central banks, arguing monetary policy has become too consequential to remain entirely insulated from public accountability. He believes there is no painless solution to global debt problems, with Europe facing unavoidable austerity while the U.S. may temporarily "get away with it" due to dollar dominance and capital inflows. Europe's recent market outperformance was described as a short-term valuation and diversification blip rather than a reflection of improving fundamentals. Wautier argued the dollar has no credible fiat challenger, reinforcing its dominance despite past U.S. policy mistakes. Gold and cryptocurrencies were discussed primarily as hedges against dollar risk rather than true replacements for the global reserve system. Bitcoin was criticized as too volatile to function as a reserve or transactional currency, regardless of its popularity as a speculative store of value. Stablecoins were viewed as a strategic U.S. response to crypto, potentially extending dollar dominance into digital finance. Demographic decline across developed economies was identified as a structural constraint that traditional growth models cannot easily resolve. Wautier argued AI adoption is moving faster than societies can adapt, limiting near-term productivity gains while increasing long-term disruption. AI's ultimate impact will be profound but slow, likely forcing a reassessment of GDP and other traditional measures of economic progress. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/growing-global-debt-jean-baptiste-wautier-786 

The global economy is shifting into a "run-it-hot" inflationary growth phase driven by political incentives, energy demand, and the need to manage unsustainable debt and here is how to profit on it. The U.S. is deliberately favoring high growth and persistent inflation to inflate away debt and support asset prices ahead of midterms, even as official data and climate narratives are treated with skepticism. Today we talk about how governments historically deal with excess debt, why inflation plus growth is the most politically viable path, and how this environment favors commodities, real assets, and cyclicals over overvalued big tech. Markets are rotating, not simply "risk-on/risk-off," so you should be wary against blindly sticking with what worked in the past. Stay flexible as policy volatility, geopolitical shifts, and changing economic forces reshape the investment landscape. We discuss...  Energy policy is rapidly shifting in favor of expansion as tech-driven demand makes energy security a political priority, sidelining prior climate and regulatory concerns. The "run-it-hot economy" framework argues the U.S. is intentionally pursuing high growth alongside persistent inflation to manage excessive sovereign debt and support asset prices. With midterms approaching, political incentives favor policies that keep markets strong, reduce visible costs like energy and housing, and maintain public confidence rather than fiscal austerity. Inflation and growth together are framed as the most realistic way for governments to inflate away debt without triggering default or severe political backlash. Historical economic regimes are outlined to show how different inflation and growth combinations favor different asset classes. The current environment resembles an inflationary boom, which historically benefits commodities, real assets, and stores of value. Big tech and innovation-led assets are seen as potential underperformers in an inflationary, rotational market after years of dominance. Market leadership is narrowing and rotating, with small caps, mid caps, and non-U.S. markets showing stronger early-year performance. The S&P 500's heavy concentration in a small number of tech stocks increases risk as leadership weakens. Investors are cautioned against blindly rebalancing or clinging to past winners without reassessing changing tailwinds and headwinds. Fraud reduction and spending audits may improve trust and optics but are unlikely to materially fix long-term debt problems. Energy's small weight in major indexes is highlighted as a potential mispricing given its economic importance. Seasonal market patterns suggest near-term volatility is likely even within a broader bullish rotation. Investors must adapt portfolios to evolving macro regimes rather than assume past strategies will continue to work.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/how-to-profit-785 

Shellee Howard is on the show today to talk how to do college without crushign debt for your kids. She shares how her journey as a "mom on a mission" led her to help families navigate the college process strategically, emphasizing early preparation, self-discovery, and return on investment rather than prestige alone. She explains why overcrowded school counselors fall short, how students should clarify their values, talents, and career goals before choosing colleges, and why college should be viewed as a business decision and a stepping stone to adulthood, and not a status symbol. With the right planning, families can avoid debt, maximize scholarships, and choose schools that truly align with a student's future goals. We discuss...  Shellee Howard explained how her experience guiding her own children to graduate college debt-free inspired her career as an independent college consultant. She described why high school guidance counselors are often unable to provide comprehensive college planning due to overcrowding and competing responsibilities. The discussion emphasized starting college preparation early by helping students identify their core values, strengths, and long-term interests rather than focusing only on grades or test scores. Shellee stressed that college readiness is about preparing for adulthood, not chasing prestige or comparing against other families. We explore how poor financial literacy leads many students to take on unnecessary debt without understanding return on investment. Shellee argued that college is a business decision and should be evaluated like an investment, with scholarships, fit, and outcomes prioritized over name recognition alone. Many students are not ready at 18 to make high-stakes decisions and why exploration through service, internships, and extracurriculars matters. The value of college branding versus actual educational and career outcomes are debated, with examples showing that different paths work for different students. Shellee outlined key timing considerations, including the critical importance of middle school and early high school years for maximizing opportunity and financial aid. Parents were encouraged to stay actively involved in guiding their children rather than leaving major financial and life decisions to teenagers. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/college-without-crushing-debt-shellee-howard-784 

We're in the middle of a run it hot economy. Today our discussion ranged from geopolitics into markets, including precious metals. Silver's recent surge is best understood as a reversion toward historical gold–silver ratios rather than a knowable fundamental catalyst. Silver's parabolic move looks unstable compared to gold's healthier, slower uptrend. But no one can truly know why prices move, so investors should be clear about why they own precious metals since that purpose should drive allocation size and risk tolerance. We also talk macro conditions, the U.S. may be pursuing an "inflationary boom" or "run it hot" strategy to offset high debt and valuations, which would favor real assets like commodities, gold, and real estate over long-duration bonds. It's important to manage fear, avoid extreme predictions, stay diversified, and pay close attention to structure, incentives, taxes, and shifting global leadership rather than relying on narratives or past performance. We discuss... Precious metals are a key focus, with gold behaving in a steady, healthy bull market while silver experienced a sharp and unstable surge. The gold-to-silver ratio was discussed as historically stretched and now reverting toward long-term norms, helping explain silver's outperformance. Silver was highlighted as both a monetary metal and a critical industrial commodity listed by the U.S. government as strategically important. The parabolic nature of silver's recent price action is risky and vulnerable to sharp pullbacks or policy interventions like margin hikes. Investors should define why they own precious metals—portfolio balance, trend participation, or protection against monetary risk. Fear-driven investing and "end of the world" thinking are harmful to rational portfolio decisions. The idea of an "inflationary boom" or "run-it-hot" economic strategy was presented as the likely policy path forward. Big tech is increasingly fragile and potentially misaligned with an inflationary-growth regime. International markets were noted as having recently outperformed U.S. equities despite America-first political narratives. Valuations in U.S. equities were described as high and structurally fragile, even as the bull market remains intact. Technicals and momentum are dominating fundamentals in the current market cycle. Tax considerations are an often-overlooked but critical factor in portfolio construction and asset selection. Bitcoin's unique tax treatment and classification as property offer planning advantages versus securities. Be wary about complacency, overconcentration, and narrative-driven investing in a late-cycle market.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/run-it-hot-economy-783 

Jon Ostenson is here today to share secret franchising profits for investors in 2026! Jon tells about his journey from corporate consulting into franchising and explains why non-food franchises can be a compelling, tax-advantaged path to business ownership, offering proven models, franchisor support, and built-in peer networks that often outperform startups or buying existing businesses. He compares franchising with starting or acquiring businesses, highlighted the appeal of "non-sexy" but durable industries resistant to trends and disruption. Jon also talks semi-passive ownership models, scaling through multi-territory ownership or acquisitions, and more that make franchising an attractive option for professionals seeking diversification, cash flow, and long-term growth. We discuss...  Jon Ostenson describes his transition from corporate roles at into franchising, ultimately building a consulting business that helps investors identify and enter non-food franchise opportunities nationwide. Franchising is a tax-advantaged alternative investment that can complement traditional assets like stocks and real estate within a diversified portfolio. Jon argued that boring, essential service businesses often outperform because they are less vulnerable to consumer fads, Amazon disruption, or near-term AI displacement. The concept of semi-passive or executive-model franchising was explained, where owners hire managers to run day-to-day operations while remaining hands-off with proper oversight. Success in semi-passive ownership was tied to having both a strong operator in place and a capable franchisor providing ongoing support and systems. Area developer and master franchise models were discussed as less common today, with most growth occurring through multi-unit franchise ownership. Jon identified people skills, sales experience, and humility to follow the system as the most consistent traits among top-performing franchisees. Franchise peer networks are a built-in mastermind that accelerates learning, best practices, and operational improvements across markets. Franchising is not passive income, but it can be made semi-absentee with the right structure and expectations. Franchising is a practical, scalable path to entrepreneurship for professionals seeking cash flow, control, and long-term wealth outside traditional investments. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/secret-franchising-profits-jon-ostenson-782 

Today we have your 2026 predictions. We also cover the volatile 2025 year-end and share the extreme moves in precious metals and global geopolitical shocks as a case study for how investors should think: not politically or emotionally, but by watching price action and sector reactions. Low holiday liquidity amplified market swings, but that real signals came from how energy, materials, small caps, and international markets responded. We also think that despite macro unease, debt overhangs, and geopolitical reshuffling, the data still point to a broadly bullish environment, with diversification, attention to relative performance, and humility toward market signals being far more important than predictions. We discuss... Precious metals led early-year performance, with platinum, silver, and gold behaving very differently despite being in the same sector. Investors should respond to global events by asking how markets interpret them, not by reacting to political narratives. The U.S. seizure of Venezuela's president is a geopolitical shock with significant implications for energy markets and global power dynamics. Oil service and infrastructure companies briefly surged as markets discounted future Venezuelan production, though sustainability remains uncertain. China is a key indirect loser due to rising effective energy costs and margin pressure in its low-margin industrial economy. Geopolitical moves are increasingly overt, signaling a reshuffling of the global financial and political order. Have caution because investor intuition is often wrong, and there are historical examples where markets moved opposite of popular expectations. Price action was repeatedly emphasized as the best indicator of what informed capital is actually doing. Early 2026 performance showed leadership from small caps, microcaps, and value stocks rather than mega-cap technology. Materials, industrials, and energy outperformed in the first week, while tech, utilities, and communications lagged. The "Magnificent 7" were noted as early underperformers, challenging the assumption that they always lead markets. Defense stocks strengthened following signals of increased U.S. military spending. Healthcare and other previously beaten-down sectors were flagged as areas worth watching. Be caution against passive overreliance on the S&P 500 due to concentration risk and historical periods of long underperformance. While risks are elevated, market signals remain broadly bullish and investors should stay adaptive rather than predictive. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/https://moneytreepodcast.com/2026-predictions-781 

Arrash Yasavoli discusses how you should jump on investing in bitoin in 2026! Arrash's path from data engineering at LinkedIn into quantitative trading, crypto, and building Glitch, a SaaS platform that gives broader access to advanced trading strategies gives a unique perspective into possible 2026 investing plans. We also talk Bitcoin's role as a potential store of value, the divergence between Bitcoin and altcoins, the growing importance of real utility and valuation in crypto projects, the rise of ETFs and stablecoins as bridges to mainstream adoption, and more. We discuss... Crypto's transition from a speculative and "scammy" perception toward broader legitimacy through regulation, ETFs, and institutional adoption. Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a store of value similar to gold rather than a scalable transactional currency. Bitcoin's fixed supply and resilience through multiple market cycles were highlighted as key drivers of long-term investor confidence. Bitcoin's historical growth rates are unlikely to persist, with future returns likely slowing and volatility remaining high. The growing divergence between Bitcoin performance and stagnant altcoins was identified as a sign of increasing market maturity. Many altcoins from earlier cycles failed due to hype-driven models that never delivered real value. The current crypto cycle was compared to the post–dot-com bust era, where focus shifts from excitement to sustainable business models. Regulatory clarity, including frameworks for crypto and stablecoins, was viewed as a major catalyst for continued adoption. Whether investors should trade or hold crypto, with emphasis on patience and fundamentals over speculation. Future crypto valuation models were described as moving toward revenue, profitability, and clear value propositions. Arrash outlined his work on BitTensor, a blockchain designed to create and trade real digital commodities. Crypto's long-term value lies in practical applications that quietly use blockchain under the hood rather than hype-driven narratives. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/investing-in-bitcoin-in-2026-arrash-yasavolian-780 

There are a lot of year end surprises in store with the 2025 wrap up. The year has come to an end and we are here to discuss everything from year-end reflections and personal anecdotes to a broad market outlook. We focused on the recent surge and volatility in precious metals, especially silver, explaining how futures-market leverage and exchange rule changes (like margin requirement hikes) are used to cool speculative excess, why parabolic price moves are unhealthy, and why investors should be cautious in the near term even if long-term fundamentals remain bullish. We also talked government fraud, rising debt costs, aging demographics, deglobalization, and higher-for-longer rates, arguing that bad asset allocation now carries real risk and diversification with assets like precious metals still matter. We discuss...  We challenge simplistic economic cause-and-effect narratives, arguing that inflation, tariffs, and monetary policy outcomes are highly contextual and often misrepresented by official government data. Past periods of QE and low inflation were cited to illustrate how money printing can offset deflation rather than automatically cause inflation, reinforcing skepticism toward consensus forecasts. Large-scale government fraud is pervasive, rarely punished, and structurally embedded, with the prediction that no high-level figures will face consequences in ongoing public scandals. Precious metals, particularly silver, were a major focus due to extreme recent price volatility, including sharp multi-day gains and losses while most investors were disengaged over the holidays. The mechanics of futures markets were explained in detail, emphasizing how leverage works, why margin requirements matter, and how exchanges can legally change rules to stabilize markets. Recent increases in margin requirements for silver, gold, platinum, and palladium were highlighted as a deliberate attempt by exchanges to flush out speculative leverage and cool "animal spirits." Governments and exchanges can escalate interventions dramatically if needed, including forcing cash settlement or changing delivery rules, which would materially alter market dynamics. Banks' growing discomfort with holding U.S. Treasuries and their shift toward gold are a quiet but significant signal about long-term confidence in fiat systems. The contrast between gold (central-bank owned) and silver (primarily investor and industrial owned) explains differing market behaviors and intervention risks. The hosts argued that the era of "cheap mistakes" is over, meaning poor allocation decisions now result in permanent capital loss, not just missed opportunity. AI enthusiasm should be thought of skeptically as large language models are becoming commoditized quickly, lack durable moats, and resemble past tech bubbles. Be cautious, diversify, be skeptical of narratives, have respect for market structure, and prepare for a year where volatility exposes complacency.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/2025-wrap-up 

Elliot Holland joins us to explore the realities of building and sustaining a high-quality, trust-driven professional business in an era dominated by AI hype, declining marketing efficiency, and algorithmic noise. We discuss skepticism around AI's real-world impact especially in high-stakes financial decisions. We also talk marketing and content strategy, why sensationalism and clickbait may win algorithms but will always repel discerning clients. We also unpack our frustrations with modern marketing platforms like Google, Facebook, and HubSpot as they grow increasingly expensive and benefit from opacity while delivering lower-quality data. The most important thing is authentic conversations, patience, and thoughtful content aimed at a small, qualified audience that can outperform viral reach.  We discuss...  Sustaining a professional services business increasingly depends on trust, judgment, and human relationships rather than scale, speed, or technological hype. There's septicism that AI will meaningfully disrupt high-stakes, people-to-people work, arguing it is largely rebranded machine learning with limited real-world adoption so far. Discerning clients value nuance, experience, and improvisational thinking that cannot be captured in static data sets or automated workflows. AI is a productivity aid for summaries and surface-level tasks, but not a substitute for deep expertise, critical thinking, or accountability. YouTube and podcasts are trust-building tools rather than growth hacks, with success measured by client conversion quality instead of view counts. Algorithms reward "nonsense about nonsense," making platforms misaligned with professionals selling high-trust, high-ticket services. Marketing metrics such as views, impressions, and engagement were described as misleading compared to tracking clicks, conversations, and actual revenue outcomes. Google, Facebook, and HubSpot are operating as "confuse-opolies," benefiting from complexity, opacity, and user lock-in rather than clear results. The rising difficulty of marketing has forced business owners to either deeply understand marketing themselves or risk wasting capital on underqualified vendors. Elliott explained restructuring his marketing around specialized vendors, strict performance accountability, and personal ownership of customer persona definition. Long-form, unscripted conversations often deliver more value than polished, optimized content designed for algorithms. Future marketing success will favor authenticity, clarity, and long-term relationship-building over funnels, gimmicks, and viral reach.   Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/ai-hype-and-clickbait-are-failing-elliott-holland 

Today we're sharing the tax loss selling secrets you need to know before 2026! We also talk understanding personal strengths and psychological limits in investing. It's good to avoid shiny-object strategies like day trading and prioritize risk management through diversification. We explore how market structure, valuations, and historical data suggest future returns may be lower and more volatile, making stress-testing portfolios and aligning risk with temperament essential. Remember long-term success comes from discipline, education, adaptability, and thoughtful strategy rather than chasing returns in overheated markets. We discuss...  Successful goal-setting focuses on small, repeatable actions over time rather than unrealistic short-term outcomes. Investors must design strategies that align with their psychological makeup, risk tolerance, and time availability rather than copying what appears profitable for others. Stop-loss orders can be dangerous in volatile or less-liquid markets due to slippage and market maker behavior, often leading to worse-than-expected exits. Markets can remain expensive longer than expected, making flexibility and balanced positioning more important than precise market timing. Concentration in high-performing assets like AI stocks or precious metals can lead to severe losses if momentum reverses sharply. Historical examples showed that long periods of weak or flat equity returns are normal following valuation extremes. Diversification across asset classes, regions, and styles was highlighted as essential for retirement sustainability and long-term wealth preservation. Static portfolios such as traditional 60/40 allocations were questioned, with an emphasis on active monitoring and adjustment as conditions change. Precious metals typically move in sequence, with gold leading, followed by silver and then platinum, often ending in unsustainable parabolic moves. Misuse of statistics, such as confusing average with median net worth, can distort perceptions of wealth and financial reality. Investment performance should be evaluated using geometric averages rather than arithmetic means to reflect true compounded returns. Emotional states like greed and fear often peak near market extremes and should signal the need for reevaluation rather than increased risk-taking. Political, macroeconomic, and election-cycle dynamics can temporarily suppress or amplify commodity prices, particularly in energy markets. Long-term success in investing depends less on prediction and more on preparation, adaptability, and disciplined execution of a well-structured plan. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/tax-loss-selling-secrets-777 

Sallyann Della Casa, CEO Dubai-based "community as a service" GLEAC, joins us to share her personal journey and how collaborative leadership will thrive in our AI-drive future. She explains how access to networks, proximity to experience, and "quiet capital" are often more powerful than credentials alone in shaping opportunity, leadership, and career outcomes. We explore inequality driven by access rather than ability, leadership and gender mental models, and examines why modern society struggles to produce widely respected leaders. We also education and AI, arguing that traditional schooling is outdated, overly focused on memorization, and ill-suited for a world where AI can outperform humans on hard skills, while human skill can thrive in areas AI can't. AI will reshape leadership, investing, and management and future leaders will succeed by combining learning agility, deep expertise, strong networks, and the ability to co-lead alongside AI. We discuss...  Sally Ann Della Casa shares her personal story to illustrate how proximity, networks, and early access often determine life outcomes more than raw talent. The concept of "quiet capital" is a mix of social trust, reputation, networks, and deep domain knowledge that drives real-world success. The discussion examined inequality as a function of access and networks rather than intelligence or effort. Leadership was debated through the lens of mental models, including gender expectations, risk tolerance, and the loneliness of decision-making. Modern society struggles to identify and develop respected leaders across business, politics, and culture. Education systems are outdated, overly focused on memorization, and misaligned with how people actually learn and collaborate. AI was framed as a forcing function that will finally push education to prioritize human skills like judgment, creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking. The risks and benefits of AI are discussed, emphasizing that AI reflects human biases and represents the "gray average," not top-tier insight. The importance of context, storytelling, and lived experience are highlighted as something AI cannot replace. Leadership in the future is more agile, less hierarchical, and increasingly collaborative with AI tools and agents. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/collaborative-leadership-in-an-ai-driven-world 

Should you be buying this precious metal this Christmas? Find out what it is today as we reflect on how instant gratification, social media, and shifting consumer behavior mirror broader economic changes. We also talk practical year-end investing discipline, including portfolio "hygiene," investor psychology alignment, rule-based decision making, and tax-loss harvesting strategies. We explore assesing holdings as if investing fresh today, managing oversized winners and stagnant losers, watching natural market turning points around year-end, while also exploring inflation trends, shrinkflation, housing affordability, and generational cost pressures. We also urge listeners to use the final weeks of the year to review risks, taxes, family financial clarity, and opportunities ahead. Thoughtful preparation, not momentum or emotion, drives long-term investment success. We discuss...  The importance of year-end portfolio assessment, emphasizing reviewing holdings as if investing fresh today to determine alignment with investor psychology. Manage oversized winners, stagnant losers, and follow disciplined, rule-based investment practices rather than ego-driven decisions. Tax-loss harvesting is a key strategy, including the special advantage that crypto is treated as property and not subject to the 30-day wash-sale rule. Monitoring natural market turning points, particularly around year-end, to identify potential buying opportunities in beaten-down assets. Gold's leadership in the rally, silver's sharp recent gains, and the implications of JP Morgan shifting from short to long silver positions. Basel III banking regulations and the possibility of global banks increasing gold holdings if U.S. deficits rise above projected thresholds. Strategies for buying gold and silver, emphasizing buying for weight to minimize premiums and potentially profiting from historical spreads in coin pricing. Have caution with rare coin premiums, only experienced investors should consider numismatic factors, otherwise stick to weight-based purchases. Inflation indicators, using Campbell's Soup can pricing as a proxy for quality-adjusted inflation over decades. Shrinkflation and the rising cost of essentials for younger generations, noting housing, insurance, and other expenses have outpaced wages. Recent trends in housing, including declining new home prices but smaller home sizes, illustrating hidden inflation and cost pressures.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/santa-clause-rally-ahead-775

Economist George Economou joins us today to share why stocks and gold are soaring in the modern global market. He talks about his global outlook on markets amid rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty, AI-driven growth narratives, stock buybacks, and deep investor anxiety fueled by a multipolar world. We also chat on trade tensions, and escalating conflicts across the globe. He explained how falling interest rates continue to prop up U.S. and European stocks despite stretched valuations, why gold is surging as central banks and investors hedge geopolitical risk, and why tariffs are unlikely to succeed economically over the long run. We discuss...  George Economou outlined his background as a Greece-based macroeconomist, financial consultant, academic, and economics educator. Rising tariffs, shifting trade policies, and the growing independence of BRICS nations are major sources of macro instability. Europe is particularly vulnerable, with echoes of pre-2008 risks despite strong headline equity performance. U.S. equity markets are being driven by AI-led profit growth, excess liquidity, and falling interest rates rather than pure fundamentals. European equity strength is largely attributed to corporate stock buybacks rather than underlying economic health. Falling interest rates globally were highlighted as a key driver pushing investors away from bonds and into equities. Gold prices were said to be surging due to geopolitical uncertainty and aggressive central bank accumulation, especially by BRICS nations. Geopolitical risks involving Russia–Ukraine, the Middle East, and China–Taiwan are central drivers of market anxiety. Tariffs are a political tool aimed at reshoring U.S. production, but one that economic theory suggests will be inefficient long term. AI investment is comparable to early smartphone adoption, requiring heavy upfront spending before productivity gains become visible. CEOs' frustration with AI returns is linked to poor implementation rather than a lack of long-term potential. Extremely high global equity valuations are attributed to investors avoiding bonds and real estate due to unattractive risk-reward dynamics. Sustained market valuations is questioned, with the warning that expensive assets eventually decline when buyers step away. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Diana Perkins | Trading With Diana Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/stocks-and-gold-are-soaring-george-economou-774 

The Federal Reserve tipped it's hand for a bull market. Today we discuss the details. We talk economic divergence, as decades of debt-fueled growth and asset inflation have benefited boomers and asset owners while leaving younger generations locked out of housing and upward mobility, creating frustration and political volatility. The U.S. economy is fundamentally leveraged by pulling future earnings forward and this could be an eventual but unpredictable global financial reset. We also talk the near-term debt panic but don't get nervous as deficits are the true risk. We also talk practical investing takeaways around market cycles, sentiment, tax-loss selling, Santa Claus rally dynamics, and the importance of patience, diversification, and avoiding extreme, fear-driven decisions. We discuss... We highlight generational economic disparities, noting younger people struggle with housing affordability and wealth accumulation compared to boomers. Economic frustration among younger generations is linked to the appeal of populist political figures who speak to lived experiences. The U.S. economy is heavily leveraged, with future earnings being pulled forward to maintain growth and consumption. We warn of a potential global financial reset, while emphasizing that timing and specifics are uncertain. Central banks' accumulation of gold is a signal of perceived systemic risk and preparation for a global reset. Debt itself can be manageable, but the ongoing growth of deficits is the real problem. Concerns about foreign countries dumping U.S. bonds were dismissed as largely impractical due to mutual economic harm. Market reactions to Fed rate cuts are analyzed, showing how assets like stocks, silver, the dollar, and Treasury yields respond differently. It's important to analyze market cycles and sentiment, rather than relying on GDP or simplistic economic indicators. Tax-loss selling and end-of-year market dynamics are discussed as opportunities to buy undervalued assets with lower downside risk. The Santa Claus rally and January market patterns are historically strong indicators for short-term gains. Focus on sectors or assets that were beaten down, watch early January flows, and avoid extreme, fear-driven moves.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/the-federal-reserved-tipped-its-hand-773 

John Thompson is here today to talk about how the future is reinventing taxes. He discusses his diverse career path from technology and programming into finance, tax services, and nonprofit work, highlighting his long-term involvement with the Financial Health Network and their efforts to improve consumer financial health. He explains how H&R Block has evolved from serving primarily low- and middle-income clients to addressing more complex financial needs, and how automation and technology are changing tax preparation and accounting. Thompson emphasizes the importance of personal finance fundamentals, daily cash-flow systems, and awareness in managing income, debt, and budgeting amid rising costs and structural challenges like housing and healthcare. We discuss...  John Thompson shares his career journey from technology and programming into finance, tax services, and nonprofit work. He highlights his 25-year relationship with the Financial Health Network and their mission to improve consumer financial health. John explains how research on bridging taxes and banking for underbanked populations inspired practical programs at H&R Block. He describes the evolution of H&R Block from serving primarily low- and middle-income clients to addressing more complex financial needs. Automation and technology in tax preparation are allowing professionals to focus on higher-value advisory services rather than data entry. Thompson emphasizes the importance of daily personal finance systems to manage cash flow, spending, saving, and debt. Challenges like inflation, housing affordability, student loans, and healthcare costs create structural barriers to financial health. Thompson discusses how banks and financial institutions are experimenting with different models to serve both underbanked and community-focused customers. He points out that for many simple tax filers, future trends may simplify filing to automated or postcard-level processes. Thompson stresses the importance of taking timely financial actions at key moments, like tax season, raises, or job changes. He highlights upcoming policy and product changes, such as the retirement savings match in 2027–2028 and child savings accounts starting in 2025. Thompson underscores that financial resilience requires both structural solutions and disciplined personal money management. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/reinventing-taxes-john-thompson-772   

This could be your best trade of the year! Join us as we share December secrets for your portfolio. We also talk about the shifting narratives around climate change, deregulation, and rising energy demand driven by AI. We also explore expectations for low energy prices through the election cycle, concerns about an AI-driven bubble, the continued K-shaped economy, and tactical investing insights such as exploiting year-end tax-loss selling, watching beaten-down sectors, monitoring insider buying, and recognizing mutual-fund distribution dips. We discuss... Political climate influences environmental narratives, pointing out that media references to "climate crisis" suddenly dropped as energy demand pressures changed. The explosion of AI data centers has quietly forced policymakers to pivot from anti-energy rhetoric to encouraging more electricity production and deregulation. How AI companies are now some of the largest new consumers of electricity, making cheap, abundant power a strategic priority for the tech sector. Energy prices are being politically managed to stay low into the midterm elections to keep inflation optics favorable. While AI valuations are stretched, there's unlikely to be an immediate bubble burst because capital flows and earnings momentum remain supportive. How end-of-year tax-loss harvesting creates forced selling in beaten-down stocks, temporarily pushing prices below fair value. Mutual funds selling to raise cash for capital-gains distributions can generate artificial dips that offer tactical buying windows for informed investors. Insider-buying activity is a useful signal in December, since executives often buy when their stock is mispriced due to seasonal pressures. A simple long-term Bitcoin approach: buy when it collapses on fear, hold through chop, and scale out when it becomes euphoric and parabolic. Concerns about the systemic risk attached to MicroStrategy's leveraged Bitcoin balance sheet and how a sharp BTC drawdown could spark forced selling. How crypto ETFs, institutional custody, and Wall Street participation may reduce volatility over time but also increase susceptibility to coordinated market moves. How markets today reward patience, skepticism, and tactical opportunism more than blind buy-and-hold in all sectors.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/best-trade-of-the-year-771

Larry Kriesmer shares how his career evolved from life insurance to options-driven wealth management, explaining that supervisory limitations at his former firm pushed him to launch his own RIA focused on option-based strategies. He and the host discuss the industry's longstanding discomfort with options, the differences among custodians, and the surge in option-centric ETFs driven by investor demand for income, downside buffers, and more predictable outcomes. Larry explains why he favors synthetic long exposure to the S&P 500, how options can create defined risk in ways traditional 60/40 portfolios cannot, and why repeated market shocks have increased interest in structures that limit drawdowns. He also stresses that while options can be powerful, they require real understanding—especially given the asymmetric risks—and that most investors are best served using simple strategies or working with experienced professionals. Larry Kriesmer shares his background transitioning from life insurance into wealth management and ultimately founding his own RIA due to options-related supervision limitations at his prior firm. We highlight how many insurance and brokerage firms restrict options usage because supervisors often lack the necessary licensing or comfort with the risks. Early-career experiences show how compliance departments often misunderstand options and overburden advisors executing client-driven trades. Larry explains that custodians also vary widely in their options competency, noting TD Ameritrade's historically advanced approach compared to more conservative platforms like Schwab and Fidelity. He describes how the growth of option-based ETFs and structured strategies reflects rising demand for income, risk buffers, and outcome-based portfolio design. Why options are resurging in popularity despite being decades old, tying it to investor frustration with unpredictable markets, multiple major drawdowns, and the need for more controlled outcomes. Larry outlines his discovery of options through studying indexed annuities, which showed him how options could define downside risk and reshape portfolio construction. He explains his core strategy of staying synthetically long the S&P 500 at all times, avoiding market timing, and focusing on capturing upside while limiting drawdowns. The conversation touches on potential expansion of his strategy into other sectors or international markets, though the S&P remains his primary exposure due to its self-healing nature. Larry critiques modern portfolio theory as outdated and insufficient for managing real downside risk, arguing that a bond-plus-options structure can outperform a traditional 60/40 on a risk-adjusted basis. You discuss how 2022 exposed the limitations of conventional diversification when both stocks and bonds fell simultaneously. Larry emphasizes that while options can be powerful tools, investors must deeply understand which side of the contract's risk they are assuming to avoid catastrophic losses. He concludes that most investors should pursue education but ultimately rely on professionals or ETF structures if they want to safely incorporate options into their portfolios. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/strategies-for-modern-investors-lawrence-kriesmer-770