Video Marketing & Social Media Strategy, Training, & Coaching for 7-8 Figure B2B Companies | Stop Outsourcing Your Content And Start Building Your Own Team | Founder Of Impaxs Marketing

Outsourcing all of your content to a "Content agency" simply does not work anymore. 

And if you're like a lot of the 7-8 figure B2B companies we've helped over the years, you've felt this while working with traditional agencies.

- Content that doesn't perform in the social media feeds 
-"Marketing" posts that just don't feel like YOU (Not your authentic voice and brand)
- They say they "Can do modern video" but it's really out of their scope and it shows in how they deliver
- The agency is slow to get back because they are managing 20-30 other clients just like you 

And yet they charge 5-10k+/month for sub par results....

My friends...there is a much better way.

A way to increase revenue and make your brand stand out by building an internal content team that delivers more effective content, faster, and in your voice-no agency required.

That is exactly what we help you do with our proven Infinite Clients System™

✅ Develop a compelling brand story and POV to consistently attract high-value clients.

✅  Create a scalable content strategy and AI-powered workflow built to drive growth across every channel — not just social media.

✅  Help you assemble an in-house content operation and team built for your business and your goals.

✅  Coach and develop your team to ensure you produce consistent, high-quality content that converts into qualified leads and new clients.

✅  Act as your strategic CMO — aligning content, marketing, and team efforts to drive measurable business outcomes.

✅  Drive real ROI from your content by consistently attracting high-intent leads, increasing pipeline velocity, and closing more deals.

It feels good to have your OWN (In house) content operation that drives inbound leads, builds brand, and helps you grow your business.   Once you do it...you'll never go back to outsourcing again.

If you're ready to take control of your content, empower your own team, and shed those costly marketing agency costs, let's have a chat! 

To book a call with me or learn more about our services and pricing, check us out here at https://impaxs.com 

Or just send me a DM now and talk to me directly!  

Thank you,

Alex B Sheridan

I don't recognize LinkedIn right now. 

I see more spam DMs than ever before 
More Chat GPT written posts in the feed
More AI generated comments

It’s the exact opposite of why most of us came here in the first place.

We came for CONNECTION. 

And let’s be honest, we also needed a way to earn trust from prospects and win new business.

It was early 2020 and we got word we had to stay home. No offices, no meet ups, no events, no kids at school.

LinkedIn quickly became a place where we shared our experiences, met new people, and talked about the things that mattered in our industry.

I hardly recognize that place anymore.

It went from “This is a great place to connect and build relationships for those in B2B” to

“We have to stay active on LinkedIn, so how can we optimize it, automate it, and have someone else that knows nothing about our business and clients do all the content for us”  🧐

When I think about content marketing, my mind goes to the core four:

-Relationships
-Trust 
-Influence
-Value

If how you show up here doesn’t have anything to do with those 4, you might want to reevaluate

Because there's still opportunity here for the ones who actually show up and put in the work.  

But if you haven’t noticed, that opportunity is to get people OFF of LinkedIn as fast as possible and start having real conversations that actually drive business and have an impact.  

Modern content marketing is not about going a million miles wide and a few inches deep.

It's about going a million miles deep and a few inches wide. 

It's one of many reasons we leaned into long form, conversational, relationship building content, like podcasts. 

It's allowed us to not be reliant on social media and still have record years. 

The algorithms could go to 0 and my clients and I are still thriving because WE OWN the conversations and the content.  Not the platforms 

We OWN the community and relationships, not LinkedIn.

Think about this in your next marketing meeting.

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

Building In-House Marketing Teams | Content Marketing Strategy, Coaching, & Training For 7-8 Figure B2B Companies | Founder of Impaxs Marketing

I think retirement is overrated.

I've watched family members work there a$$ off.
Sacrifice everything for their careers.
Many of those at careers they didn’t even enjoy.

To then turn 60 and now get to “Enjoy life” and live it on their terms.

In 2020 I left corporate and decided I was going to live life on MY terms NOW, instead of waiting for some magical moment that may or may not ever come. 

I need purpose, I need to be building, I need growth.
I refuse to do something I don't enjoy for decades because it provides a paycheck.

So if we're talking about the "Traditional retirement", I fundamentally disagree with that way of thinking.

Now, on the other hand I do believe in investing, saving, and taking care of your future.  I 100% putting money aside into assets and things that help me build wealth long term. (At first it was 100% my business, now it's diversified.)   

I've never advocated for blowing all your money to "Live in the now". That's just not responsible, especially when you have a family.  There can be a nice balance. 

Matthew Rice, CFA said it well when him and Bill Seyfarth were on the Founder Talk  podcast:

“I used to think of retirement as some kind of reward for all of the work I did. Now, love what I do and see the work and the impact I make as the reward”

Well SAID! 

Watch the full episode here! https://lnkd.in/g3NcUbFQ (And please give us a subscribe if you enjoy the show!)

How I turn my daily calls into videos that drive leads (Behind the scenes)! 

I call this “Being the content” instead of creating it.

Because once this system is in place, your normal work becomes high quality content.

(So no more excuses on "I don't have time to make content")

Step 1.) Set up your equipment 

I like having two groups of audio/video, that way my meeting recordings are completely separate from the content (Makes for higher quality video/audio).

GROUP 1 (For meetings)
-Video = Laptop/Computer
-Audio = Stationary Shure mic

GROUP 2 (For getting content) 
-Video = Sony Camera (Or smartphone)
-Audio = Shotgun mic (Or wireless mic)

Step 2.) Press record on group 2 right before you have a meeting that you think might get content from (Client meeting, prospect call, team meet, etc). Obviously you'll take the call with group 1.  

Be intentional and recognize you’re recording (It helps to understand the basics of content creation fundamentals here).

Step 3.) Upload the raw assets into your content workflow, where an offshore editor or marketing coordinator can edit the video. 

Step 4.) Write the copy (Ai + video transcript is an easy option here).

Step 5.) Post the content! 

I’ve been doing this for YEARS and have taught dozens and dozens of 7-8 figure B2B teams how to do it as well.

It’s one of the most effective ways to build brand and drive new business without spending a ton of time “Creating content".

And it's a massive trust builder, which is what it takes to win deals on LinkedIn in 2026. 

They get to see how you work with clients and team members before they buy.  

Your prospects don’t want buttoned up and scripted. They want real and behind the scenes.  

Ok, your turn, get to it! 

Got questions on this? Hit me in the comments! 

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

Had a call with a CEO who’s LinkedIn content is not generating leads

1st place I go...

👉 Strategy (99% of the time there’s issues here first)

2nd place I go…

👉 The content team (99% of the time there's  no performance driven culture)

3rd place I go…

👉 The content itself (This is what most 7-8 figure companies see as the core problem but it's actually a result of the first two not being dialed in)

When I review content, I’m diagnosing two core things: 

1.) The substance 

Is the raw material good enough to mold this into something meaningful?

You give me generic value adds or weak insights or vague stories, I can’t do much with that. It’s finished on arrival.

What I need to see here is:
-Client success stories with depth (Brand story)
-Insights into conversations with prospects 
-Building in public and showing the BTS
-Highly valuable solutions to problems their clients face

2.) The content fundamentals

Let’s say the substance is GOOD.  
Now, we need to ensure the post has good fundamentals.

And that starts with an engaging hook, which usually falls  into one of three categories:

-Bold statement/Strong POV
-Value tease
-Start to a compelling story

(Look at all high-performing text or video posts and you’ll see they all have one of these to start) 

Fundamentals matter.  

But often times companies skip to step 3 when their problem is still in 1 and 2 (Strategy and Team).

This simple strategy got us 8:1 return on LinkedIn ad spend.

It’s helped us turn pipeline into dozens of closed deals.

And it’s something you can do once a quarter and use for YEARS to come.

I call it the client success video strategy. 

And no, I’m not talking about having a client record a video testimonial for you and say “XYZ did a great job for us!” 

That means very little to the skeptical and well educated B2B buyer in 2026.

Instead, what I mean is this:

👉 Record the conversation with client (Podcast style)

👉 Have them talk through the brand story (Plot, challenge, triumph, uniqueness, and remember they are the hero who defeats the villain, you are the guide.) 

👉 Edit the video (Both vertical and horizontal)

👉 Place the horizontal version on your website (Drives conversations like crazy) and post the vertical version on Linkedin and social, where it drives leads like crazy (Especially when you’re putting a little bit of spend behind it). 

This is easily one of the most powerful, highly ROI things you can do from a video marketing standpoint right now. 

These videos live on for YEARS and do the selling and closing for you, 24-7. 

If you’re a 7–8 figure B2B company that knows your content marketing should be more strategic and ROI-focused, DM me and let's chat. 

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

CEO: LinkedIn should be our number one channel for marketing.

Me: Why?

CEO: It’s B2B and our buyers are there.

Me: How long have you been consistently posting there?

CEO: Almost 2 years

Me: And how many clients (Revenue) have come as a direct result of your LinkedIn efforts?

CEO: Well, none, but prospects do check us out when they book a call. 

Me: Interesting.

CEO: Why, what are you thinking?

Me: Well, there's a strong chance there may be something off with the content, but it also may be that LinkedIn shouldn’t be the centerpiece of your entire content strategy.

CEO: Well what would it be then? 

Me: Given you have a longer sales cycle, it’s highly relationship-driven, and you almost always win when you get 30+ minutes with a prospect, the opportunity might be a podcast or some type of show. 

CEO: Ok, but are you saying we shouldn't post on LinkedIn then?

Me: No, still post on LinkedIn it’s just not the centerpiece. And, if you did a show or some sort of relationship driven content you’d be able to repurpose that into LinkedIn content, email, social media, videos, etc.

CEO: This is starting to make alot of sense now.

I’ve been having alot of these conversations with B2B leaders.

LinkedIn is great. But it probably doesn’t belong at the epicenter of your entire content ecosystem.  Relationships and trust IS THE GAME.  Make sure you're content strategy supports that. 

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

Monday was non stop for me. 
I had several back to back client calls. 
Was hiring for several offshore roles 

I could have easily said what alot Founders/CEOs say in that moment: 

"I’m too busy running my business to create content."

Funny enough, that’s exactly what I DID say because it was true.

Thankfully, we've figured out a way to make high quality content without “Creating” anything.

I call it “Being the content.” 

Here’s how it worked this past Monday:

I’m in my home office
I’ve got a camera set up (iPhone works fine)
Shotgun mic on (Can also use wireless mic) 

A meeting starts, I hit record. 
A meeting stops, I hit stop.
🤯

Now, I’ve trained myself to be aware and intentional during these calls.
But really, I’m just serving my clients and having impactful conversations. 
And capturing all of that on video. 

We take that footage, pick out the key moments, video editor edits it. 
And boom, we’ve got video content for two weeks (Made in one day).

Pay attention next week and you'll see at least one or two of those videos being posted. 👀

This is how Founders/CEOS are doing it folks.
They understand LEVERAGE.  

They understand how importnat building BRAND is.
But don't want to spend all day doing it.
This is the solution 

And sure, they create too. (I wrote this post for example)

You need that.
But you also need to capture YOU doing what you do best.

t’s simple
It builds trust 
And clients see how what it's like to work with you.

If there is one content marketing unlock for 2026, let it be this.

We help our clients build the in-house content systems, processes, and offshore team so they can stay in their zone of genius while the machine runs itself. 😎

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan I am the content

“Referrals are the best way to win new business”

You sure that's still true in 2026? 

Because when someone consumes your LinkedIn content for 6 months straight, feels like they know you, recites back what you’ve taught them , and shows up 90% ready to buy—I’d beg to differ.

Or when someone spends an hour with you on your podcast, and together you share insights, laughs, and real stories, and you start to build a real relationship, I’d argue that’s more powerful than a referral in most cases.

And the stats actually back this up too:

B2B buyers are 70-80% through the decision making process by time they have a sales conversation with someone. 

How are they getting 70-80% of the way through the decision making process before the conversation?

Simple. Companies are educating them, building trust with them, demonstrating their capability, and influencing their decisions. (Through both in person and online content)

Now, I LOVE referrals, and they do convert well because you have some built in trust and credibility there. 

But that's also what having a BRAND does too, except it happens at scale and is much more predictable than sitting around waiting for the next referral to hopefully come in.

Buyers are more educated than ever before. 
But they’re also more skeptical than ever before. 

Which is why simply “Posting some content” doesn’t work. You need a content eco-system designed to earn trust, build relationships, and influence buying decisions. 

I don’t know about you, but I want to be educating and building trust with my future clients every step of the way.

I damn sure don’t want some other company doing it all while I sit on the sidelines hoping they find me someday. 

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

I had an interesting conversation with an 8-figure CEO about their content marketing. 

They’ve got a jr. marketing associate running their entire marketing department right now.

Someone who has good intent, but almost 0 experience building modern marketing initiatives that drive real demand and revenue. 

And they’re starting to see the effects of it now.

They’re losing marketshare to smaller firms who are out-marketing them.

They’re losing credibility with current clients who see their posts on LinkedIn and think “This is the best content they’ve got?  It sounds like Chat GPT wrote it.” 

Their company is built on relationships, trust, and community.
But online they appear surface level and detached from the community.  

They have no problem allocating funds to other areas of the business but when it comes to their BRAND, the budget gets squeezed. 

And part of this I really do understand. 

For years, they’ve viewed content marketing as “we just need to appear active when prospects look us up.”

If thats the case, there’s not much value in marketing. 

But for the 7-8 figure companies we work with it’s the opposite.

Their content starts conversations with NEW clients.
It influences talent with multiple offers.
Their content gets referenced in sales calls. 
They build trust before the initial call happens. 

And yes, if someone “Looks them up” they don’t just appear active, they appear as top 1% in class. 

If you’re going to invest in content marketing, whether that's LinkedIn, podcasting, YouTube, email, etc. it’s important to have a standard of excellence that matches your in person brand.

It should be designed as a serious growth lever that will help take the company to the next level over the next 5-10 years+. 

Now, what should this company do in this case? 

1.) Assess the jr. level marketing associate. If they’re highly coachable, have work ethic, and creativity, I'd likely keep them. You need a good operator. 

2.) Bring in a fractional marketing leader who embeds proven strategy, systems, skills, and structure into your organization, while coaching your junior marketer. This gives you clearer strategic direction, smarter budget allocation, and a marketing engine built for real business growth.

3.) Start building a performance driven culture around marketing as you do other areas of the business. Marketing isn’t sales, but it should be tied to leads, relationships, and real business results. 

It’s 2026.  
If you’re marketing means “Looking active” I can guarantee you there’s 3 other companies right now coming to eat your lunch very soon.

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

One of our podcast clips went viral this week: 

16,000+ likes 
1,899 shares
877 saves 
535 comments
And added 377 new followers!

From ONE video.  

Which is why I always laugh when people say: “Podcast clips don’t perform as well”

But the truth is, most don’t. 

Not because of the style, but because of the strategy and execution.

Most are shot with:

-Lower quality video
-Audio that seems like it’s from a zoom call
-Editing that feels out of place
-And no strategy behind creating high-performing short form video clips 

But now imagine you have elite level audio and video.

You have editing that helps TELL the story, not distract the viewer.

And you have a real strategy built around two key areas:

1.) Creating a world-class guest experience and a conversation so valuable that guests become promoters, referral partners, and clients.

2.) Producing platform-specific micro clips designed to perform and consistently bring new people into the show. That means anchoring clips around “50/50” (on-the-fence) questions: topics where half the audience agrees and half disagrees. That polarity drives comments, shares, and saves.

Want to see the clip?  I’ll drop it in the comments now! 

❤️ABS Alex B Sheridan

Financial planning and education (without the jargon) I Creating blueprints for high-earning sales executives and business owners

I left the financial industry because I saw a problem.

People wanted to work with a planner, but they ended up becoming a number on a spreadsheet.

I had to leave to start something new.

And now?

I'm a fee-only planner who helps salespeople & equity compensated employees under 45 give a purpose to their paycheck.

I left the large financial institutions to start my own independent company. I did it so people could pay for real planning and not just an agenda to sell a hidden product. 

As a true fiduciary, Pashman Financial, LLC was built on that promise by focusing on you and you only.

🔵 Why people hire me? 

Well, people have come to me with the following problems:

- They want peace of mind with their money
- Their old advisor barely communicates with them
- They want an answer tailored to them, not from Google
- They felt pressured to buy a product that wasn't a right fit
- They are great at making money but struggle to keep it
- They want a simple plan that's easy to understand
- They want someone to hold them accountable
- They want someone they can trust

🔵 What are my services?

I help identify your goals, craft a financial blueprint that lays out action items to hit them, and monitor your progress. 

💵 Cash Flow Management  
📈 Equity Compensation
🏡 Real Estate Planning
📊 Investment Planning
📍 Retirement Planning
🛡 Insurance Planning
📚 Education Planning
💲 Tax Management
💳 Debt Repayment
📃 Estate Planning

🔵 Who do I serve?

Age: Individuals and families between 30-50 years old
Target: Sales pros, tech employees, other millennial families
Location: Virtually anywhere in the U.S.

But I love working with people that are driven to make a change. So even if you don’t fit these criteria, feel free to reach out. Your personality is everything. 

🔵 Why I'm different?

1) My model is primarily a flat fee service. No time trap. 

2) I do not require you to hand over your investments nor require a minimum to work with. Managing your assets is optional and I'll still assist you if you do it yourself. My focus is ongoing financial planning. 

3) I focus on how to increase your cash flow, not just your assets. I work with you to ensure your systems are set and consistently educate you on how your finances work. I get paid to truly keep you accountable over time.

You can find my pricing in my "featured" section on the website. 

Stop delaying action. Shoot me a message to schedule a complimentary intro.

Max Pashman, CFP®

50% of people have no idea what tax bracket they're in.

And most think more taxes mean less income. WRONG.

It's not a flat rate. 

The US tax system works at a progressive rate. 

In other words, each level of income is taxed at different rates. 

As new income is included, it is taxed at a higher rate. 

BUT that doesn't mean all of the income is taxed at that rate. 

The highest tax rate is called the "marginal rate". 

The overall tax rate (taxes divided by taxable income) is called the "effective rate". 

Big difference!

Helping Founders and Executives Plan for Early Retirement and Exit

You could skip your annual $7,500 vacation with your family.

Instead, you could contribute to a Roth IRA.

At an average 7% return, over 30 years, that $7,500 annual could grow to about $708,000.

By skipping it, you’d be closer to your retirement.

But there’s one problem.

You traded moments with your family for a bigger portfolio.

Your children will be yours forever.

But they also won’t be kids forever.

For some families, prioritizing these moments matters more.

Because what good is a retirement if it means sacrificing the life you care about along the way?

Most people focus on return on investment (ROI).

We try to focus on something else.

Return on life.

ROL.

Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments

There's a reason it has "compensation" in equity compensation. 

It's because they are treated just like your cash. 

Don't believe me?

When they vest, check out your W2. 

It's listed right there next to your salary (your cash compensation).

They may be withheld differently, but it's taxed just the same as income when it comes to tax season.

If you leave it as is, sure it's equity that be treated as an investment. 

But the moment you get it? May as well be just like your cash compensation.

So if you don't know what to do, answer one question instead:

"If this was cash instead of equity, what would you do with it"?

Would you save it?
Would you spend it?
Would you invest it?
If you invested, where?

Your answer really dictates how you should reallocate it.

Especially based on...drum roll please*.... your goals! 

You're already taxed on it when it's fully vested.

Your choice of what to do from there.

Most have no clue what a write-off does.

Here's a quick breakdown of what it is:

A write-off is merely a deduction.

So use the example:

→ You get a $20,000 expense to write off
 → If your income starts at $200,000?
 → It gets lowered to $180,000
 → So what does that mean?

Here's what it does not mean:

IT DOES NOT MEAN $20,000 LESS TAXES.

A deduction does one thing:
Reduces income taxable.

In this case, a single person in 2025:
(Using only federal taxes in this example)

→ The entire $20,000 is in the 32% bracket
 → The amount taxed? $6,400 federal
 → So with the taxes saved?
 → You netted - $13,600

So yes, you saved more in taxes.

But you still spent money in the end.

It's not a dollar-for-dollar save.

It's a reduction in income taxed.

Big difference!

Note: Post is purely educational and not financial or tax advice*

Capital gains taxes can be your biggest ally or your worst enemy.

Here’s everything you need to know how they can affect your tax bill:

What is a Capital Gain?

It’s a tax applied when you sell an asset for a profit.

These assets can include:

-Stocks
-Crypto
-Real estate
-Businesses
-Personal property

There are two types of capital gains:

Short Term (STCG):

-> Assets held less than 1 year
-> Taxed as ordinary income

Long Term (LTCG):

-> Assets held more than 1 year
-> Taxed at preferential capital gains rates, separate from income taxes

Here’s a breakdown of the federal long-term capital gains rates for 2026:

Single:

-0%: $0–$49,450
-15%: $49,451–$545,500
-20%: $545,501+

Married Filing Jointly:

-0%: $0–$98,900
-15%: $98,901–$613,700
-20%: $613,701+

Relative to income brackets, you can see the immediate difference.

For Example (Single):

If you earned $200k and had $10k in STCG, it’s taxed as ordinary income.

Assuming a 32% marginal tax rate:

$10,000 × 32% = $3,200 in federal taxes

For $10k in LTCG, it’s taxed at the capital gains rate:

$10,000 × 15% = $1,500 in federal taxes

A huge difference!

But here’s where people mess this up:

Your capital gains rate depends on your total taxable income.

“Taxable income” is your adjusted gross income (AGI) minus below-the-line deductions (standard or itemized).

Which means those ranges include both your income AND your capital gains.

Example #1: Single, $50,000 Income, $10,000 LTCG

Total taxable income: $60,000
This puts all LTCG in the 15% bracket.
Tax:
$10,000 × 15% = $1,500 (Federal)

Example #2: Single, $30,000 Income, $10,000 LTCG

Total taxable income: $40,000
This falls entirely within the 0% bracket.
Tax:
$10,000 × 0% = $0 (Federal)

Example #3: Single, $30,000 Income, $20,000 LTCG

Total taxable income: $50,000
The income takes up the first $30,000.
Leaving $19,450 left in the 0% bracket.
$19,450 × 0% = $0

The remaining capital gains spill into the next bracket:
$550 × 15% = $82.50
-> Total LTCG tax: $82.50 (Federal)

This is why being strategic about when you realize capital gains matters.

By spreading gains over multiple years, you may take advantage of lower brackets.

Finally, remember:

Capital gains are not taxed inside tax-advantaged accounts
(e.g., 401(k)s, Roth IRAs).

That’s why most tax-loss harvesting opportunities live in taxable brokerage accounts.

Disclaimer: This is for financial education purposes only and not financial or tax advice.

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pashman-financial-llc

schooloffinances

"W2 employees never become millionaires."

Bulls***. I've consulted with 100s entering early retirement. 

Many were W2 employees, never actually owning a business. 

Or at least use it as a primary means of accomplishing millionaire status

They've crossed that point using the following methods:

- High savings rate towards stocks and real estate
- Equity compensation (More commonly via ISOs)

Owning a business is a massive opportunity to get there. 

And we've seen people retire early thanks to it too.

But it's not the ONLY method to create wealth.

Gotta pick that path that aligns with you.

But what do they all share in common?

Not sitting on the sidelines. 

They let investing take action. 

You earned hard for your paycheck. 

Now make it work harder for you.

A 👏 401k 👏 IS 👏 NOT 👏 A 👏 SCAM 👏

Here are some interesting facts about it:

- Has higher contribution limits than an IRA
- Provides a match via an employer
- Does not have income limitations
- Can offer a Roth component
- Can provide a Mega Back Door Roth

But you're probably thinking...

"My money is trapped in here forever!"

Not really. 

Why you won't generally get penalized until you are 59 1/2, there are exceptions to this:

But there are exceptions to getting funds out early penalty-free:

- Roth Conversion Ladder
- 72(t) Withdrawals (SEPP)
- Financial hardship (if allowed)
- Qualified Reservist Distributions
- Medical expenses
- Rule of 55
- Disability
- Death
- Etc.

In other words, you can take your money out with exceptions and specific strategies.

It can be an excellent vehicle for financial independence. 

Do you have a 401k?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you like these visuals you'll love my newsletter with more visuals like this.

Be sure to be subscribed below:

https://lnkd.in/gJC9mTQH

I love it when LinkedIn Influencers are like "the new algo is hurting my reach" and I will look at their content and think yeah it's definitely not the algo bro...

Investing in moments like these, where AI isn't around for miles, is becoming one of my favorite things to do. 

Feel like this is going to be a massive trend in 2026 in beyond. 

Make sure your financial plan accounts for them! 

What experiences are you investing towards?

Them: We're looking to get a home.

Lender: How much were you looking to borrow?

Them: Well, how much can we?

Lender: 28% of your gross income. 

Them: Awesome. Let's do it. 

......

Them: We need help. How come it feels like we are stuck? We make really good income! 

Advisor: Let's take a look at your finances.

checks it*

Advisor: Well, I've found the problem. Your mortgage is 50% of your net income.

... 

Affording a down payment doesn't mean you can afford a property.

There's more to owning than just the price:

The costs you see. 

The costs you don't see. 

Don't lose sight of them.

Joe w/ $50K wants as much as Mia making $100K. 
 
Mia w/ $100K wants as much as Bob making $200K. 
 
Bob w/ $200K wants as much as Zoe making $400K. 
 
The problem? 
 
Income levels don't have a ceiling. 
 
And there are 8 billion people on this planet. 
 
So it's inevitable someone will be making more than you. 
 
Do yourself a favor and use a fair benchmark to compare to: 
 
Joe with $50K should aim to make more than Joe. 
 
Mia with $100k should aim to make more than Mia. 
 
Bob with $200K should aim to make more than Bob. 
 
Zoe with $400k shound aim to make more than Zoe. 
 
Stop basing your progress on someone else's. 
 
Want a better measurement to use? 
 
Grab a mirror and stick with it.

40% of business owners aren’t sure they picked the right entity.

Here's what you need to know about entity structure:

When choosing a tax entity, you gotta choose with what aligns with you.

Some of the characteristics include:

→ What legal protection is provided
→ Is the income earned a pass-through
→ Are there self-employment taxes 
→ How much admin is there
→ What are the tax impacts 
→ Is there double taxation
→ How much does it cost

And so on. 

Consulting with the combo between a CPA and CFP is a great way to make sure you are on the right path here!

What kind of business do you currently have?

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There’s a more tax-efficient way to own an index.

But is it worth it? Here’s a breakdown of direct indexing:

What is direct indexing?

It’s still passive investing.

But instead of owning an index fund, you own the individual stocks that make up the index.

Same market exposure.
Different implementation.

The goal isn’t higher returns.
The goal is tax efficiency.
Index funds are already very tax-efficient, especially ETFs.

But there’s one thing they can’t do:
They can’t pass individual stock losses to investors.

Losses inside a fund stay inside the fund.
With direct indexing, you own each stock directly.

That allows for:

Ongoing tax-loss harvesting
Offsetting capital gains
Deferring taxes while staying invested

Over time, this can increase after-tax wealth even if pre-tax returns are similar.

Some studies suggest direct indexing can add incremental after-tax value over long periods (often cited at 1%–2%), but results vary widely based on volatility, tax bracket, cash flows, and implementation.

Important tradeoffs to understand.
This strategy is not a free lunch.

Here’s what actually matters.

1) Cost

Most platforms charge roughly 0.10%–0.20%.
But additional costs may include:

Trading costs
Cash drag
Tracking error
Etc.

These reduce the net benefit and must be weighed against expected tax savings.

2) New money works best

Selling existing index funds to switch strategies often creates taxes that wipe out the benefit.

Direct indexing tends to work best with new dollars, such as:

Income
Liquidity events
Sale or acquisition proceeds
Using fresh capital avoids unnecessary tax friction.

3) Tax benefits depend on markets

The biggest advantage comes from harvesting losses, which requires volatility.

In prolonged bull markets:
Losses become harder to find
Unrealized gains accumulate

Tax benefits shift from harvesting losses to deferring gains, and eventually decline.

4) Wash sale coordination matters

Loss harvesting must be coordinated across taxable accounts, spousal accounts, and any index funds held elsewhere.

Poor coordination can reduce or eliminate the benefit.

5) You need an exit strategy

Deferred taxes eventually come due unless there’s a plan.

Is this money for retirement, charity, heirs (step-up in basis), or future liquidity?

Direct indexing works best when paired with broader tax and estate planning.

6) Benefits skew toward higher earners

The tax alpha is largest when tax rates and taxable balances are high.

For lower brackets or smaller portfolios, added cost and complexity may outweigh the benefit.

Bottom line

Direct indexing isn’t a magic upgrade.
It’s a tax optimization tool.

For the right investor, at the right time, with the right plan, it can add meaningful after-tax value.

For others, a low-cost index fund may be the better answer.

That’s why this should be a planning decision, not a product pitch.

If you’re exploring it, talk with a fee-only planner to see if it actually fits your situation.

Daniel Goodman CFP®

This is your reminder to get lost in nature. 

Just don't get lost in your finances. 

When you're ready, we're here to help :)

If your ESPP has a "look back", you're stting on a wealth hack. 

Here's the opportunity sitting in front of you. 

ESPPs are relatively simple. 

- You set aside your paycheck on a monthly basis for a period of time
- You buy your company stock at the end of the period
- Company let's you buy at a discount (usually 15%)
- The discount puts you at an immediate gain 

There some things to look out for like taxation, liquidity, and blackout periods to see how the ESPP works for you. 

But some have a provision called a "look back" period. 

The discount is applied either at the lower of the enrollment date or purchase date. 

For example:

If the enrollment price was $100 and $50 at the purchase price, the 15% is applied at the purchase price. 

If the enrollment price was $50 and $100 at the purchase price, the 15% is applied at the enrollment price. 

If the latter occurs you are looking at not only at 15% discount, but appreciation already of $50 between the $50 and $100! 

It's one of those great perks that can increase your wealth via your employer benefits. 

Don't discount the value of your company discount!

Most people have no idea how their accounts actually work.

And the IRS is quietly counting on it. Let’s break it down:

You’ve got four main individual accounts:

→ Brokerage
→ Traditional IRA
→ Roth IRA
→ HSA

But here’s the kicker:

 They don’t play by the same rules.

Some hit you with early penalties.
Some don’t.

Some have contribution limits.
Some let you pile in unlimited cash.

Some force you into Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).
 Others? They leave you alone.

→ If you’re saving without knowing these rules, you might be losing thousands in taxes and penalties without even realizing it.

What works for someone might not work for you. 

It's more than picking the best tool. 

It's the best tool for YOUR shed.

Do you have any of these?

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Ini47

I feel like I've seen these phases with early reitrees:

Stage 1: They fire their advisor cause they don't like performance or service
Stage 2: They do it themself and are happy with it
Stage 3: The more they research, the more they realize there's more to just investing
Stage 4: They keep getting conflicting answers to from thousands of voices online, but unsure which applies to them
Stage 5: They hire a financial planner for a second-hand opinion 

And guess what?

That new advisor is not the person trying to sell them some fancy product or performance.

It's the advisor who:

- Looks at their whole picture
- A structure to implement it
- Has an incentive to do so

I love it when people are able to handle finances on their own. 

But once you need some help?

You know where to find us.

Most people don’t actually know the tax status of their accounts.

Quick refresher 👇

Taxable Accounts:

- Individual Brokerage
- Joint Brokerage
- UTMA / UGMA

Pre-Tax Accounts:

- Traditional IRA
- SIMPLE IRA
- SEP IRA
- 403(b)
- 401(k)
- 457

Post-Tax Accounts:

- Roth IRA
- Roth 457
- Roth 401(k)
- Roth 403(b)
- Roth SEP IRA
- 529 (Could have a state deduction)

Triple-Tax:

- HSA (One of a kind)

Before worrying about returns?

Make sure you know how your money is taxed.

Which of these are you using?

If the recent 4,000 employees laid off by Block caught your attention, this is your wake-up call to revisit your emergency fund. 

Not your retirement accounts.
Not your brokerage accounts.
Not your company equity.

Your cash. 

Yeah, the boring cash loses to inflation over the long run.

But in the short run:

- Easily accessible
- Removed from market volatility
- Not taxed when withdrawn or liquidated

How much to fund is how you answer this question:

"How long can I reasonably live off my essential expenses?"

Just understand this about the stock market. 

It carries a risk of losing money, no matter how long you park it for.

But the longer you have it, the chances of that are cut significantly.

Not "eliminated", but the risk of losing money is statistically lower. 

That risk is put on full max if you need it now. 

The S&P 500 is not a viable fund in the near term. 

The asset that remains fixed near term is. 

Adjust accordingly!

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