Épisodes

  • E29: Rebecca McLean: Bridge the Gap: The Reg CF Revolution for Everyday Investors

    E29: Rebecca McLean: Bridge the Gap: The Reg CF Revolution for Everyday Investors
    Nov 17 2025
    Mary sits down with Rebecca McLean to unpack how the JOBS Act and Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) opened a new lane for everyday investors and community focused entrepreneurs to fund real estate; legally, transparently, and at scale. Rebecca traces National REIA's 40-year mission to promote, protect, and educate the industry, including advocacy that helped unlock today's crowdfunding rules. They dig into attainable housing, revitalizing blocks "one address at a time," and why local collaboration + policy + partnerships matter just as much as capital. From accredited vs. non-accredited realities to Reg D vs. Reg CF, from rehabs and rentals to syndications and the role of REIA groups in education and support, this episode is a practical roadmap for raising community-first capital and doing deals that actually move neighborhoods forward. Key Takeaways: • Why Reg CF matters: It took the JOBS Act (2012) and SEC rulemaking (2016) to enable compliant crowdfunding, discoverability, and open solicitation,finally making smaller, local deals visible. • Community is the edge: Local knowledge + national networks = smarter underwriting, better comps, and safer deals especially in neighborhoods banks won't touch. • Attainable > "affordable": Small investors can deliver workforce/attainable housing via rehab and value-add where large builders can't pencil starter homes. • Education & protection: National REIA's 120+ local groups provide training, legislative updates, due-diligence checklists, cost-saving benefits, and partnerships with community entities. • Build wealth on purpose: Flips create income; holds and syndications build durable wealth. "Do a couple rehabs, hold one" beats buying yourself another job. • Cycles are coming: Many new investors have only seen "up." Community experience and disciplined capital stacks help you survive the next blip. • Action > anxiety: "Just do it but not blindly." Use community, education, and compliant platforms to navigate the regulated process. Chapters: • 00:00 – Intro: Meet Rebecca McLean & National REIA at 40 • 01:32 – The JOBS Act, Reg CF & opening the door for small investors • 02:41 – Advocacy journey: from Reg D limitations to true democratization • 08:21 – Why community-first crowdfunding works in real estate • 09:14 – "Building Better Communities": block-by-block revitalization • 12:27 – Purpose-driven deals: teachers, veterans, sober living & stability • 15:38 – Education that sticks: local REIAs, data, and due diligence • 18:13 – Attainable housing vs. new-build economics; cost controls & benefits • 22:34 – From first flip to syndications: real success paths • 26:10 – Closing the wealth gap: why Planet Wealth leans into real estate • 27:35 – Policy + partnerships + local wisdom: the other half of capital • 29:49 – The power of diverse roles on a deal team (and on-the-ground intel) • 30:46 – Market cycles: why community experience keeps you steady • 33:19 – Final advice: "Just do it, get educated and plug into community" Resources Mentioned: • National REIA: 120+ local investor associations; training, benefits, legislative updates, market data, and best practices • Topics: JOBS Act (2012), SEC rulemaking (2016), Reg CF vs. Reg D, accredited vs. non-accredited investors, community revitalization, attainable housing, syndications, due diligence, cost-saving vendor programs Connect with Rebecca / National REIA: • Search "National REIA Rebecca McLean" to find the national site and your nearest local group. Explore Planet Wealth: Learn how compliant Reg CF raises help community-first real estate projects get funded: planetwealth.com Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube
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    35 min
  • E28: Matt Slepin: From Cowboys to Platforms: What's Next in Real Estate

    E28: Matt Slepin: From Cowboys to Platforms: What's Next in Real Estate
    Nov 10 2025
    Lance sits down with Matt Slepin, one of real estate's best-known executive recruiters and storytellers, to trace the industry's arc from the RTC era to today's institutional, tech-enabled platforms—and what comes next. Matt explains how CMBS and REITs catalyzed a shift from "piles of assets" to true operating companies, why technology and capital markets now define competitive advantage, and how leaders must evolve from property whisperers to business builders with resilient balance sheets, systems, and succession. They get real about purpose and profit—from serving renters and strengthening cities to tackling climate's 40% built-environment footprint—arguing that durable impact often follows enlightened self-interest over 20-year horizons (and keeps regulation at bay). Matt shares hiring and leadership patterns he sees across top performers: discipline + flexibility, altitude control (don't live at 500 feet), and the courage to grow beyond the founder's shadow. Stories span nonprofit scale, workforce housing entrepreneurship, and what it takes to create the best place to work—because culture shows up in NOI. Key Takeaways: • Institutionalization 2.0: Post-RTC, CMBS and REITs professionalized the game; now platform excellence (people, systems, capital structure, tech) is the edge. • Tech + Capital = Gravity: From investor reporting to property ops, tech rewires every function; capital market savvy (leverage, maturities, stack) keeps you alive in downturns. • Purpose via Self-Interest: Serving renters, cities, and climate aligns with long-term reputation and regulation risk—mission and margins reinforce each other. • Hire for tomorrow: Deep discipline expertise and resilience/flexibility beat static resumes; many next-gen CFOs must run a company, not 30 LLCs. • Lead at altitude: Great CEOs live high enough to steer the platform, but can drop to 5,000 feet to mentor—not to micromanage. • Focus wins: Pick a thesis you can execute, stay relentless, let it evolve—but stick with the lane long enough to compound. Chapters: • 00:00 – Warm-up: who's Matt and why this matters • 05:03 – RTC, CMBS, REITs: how the "cowboys" met the balance sheet • 06:31 – What changes next: platforms, tech, AI, sophistication • 08:08 – Apartments, cities, climate: purpose through enlightened self-interest • 11:07 – Reputation & regulation: why long-term thinking pays • 13:31 – People vs vision? Align both; culture as enterprise value • 16:25 – Operating as a company: capital stacks, leverage, hold-period survival • 18:44 – Two drivers of change: capital markets + technology everywhere • 21:46 – Hiring now: discipline depth + flexibility/resilience • 25:59 – Bridging the gap: from asset gurus to platform leaders • 27:45 – Growing with the company: altitude control beats the weeds • 30:57 – Builders bigger than themselves: nonprofit scale, workforce housing plays • 35:33 – Staying on mission: focus, relentlessness, best-place-to-work ethos • 37:29 – Leadership that lasts: be good people, create value • 39:07 – Career map: find your lane, then dig deep • 41:18 – Personal: partnership, music, and a bagel-shop jam called "Stoosday" Resources Mentioned: • ZRG — Global talent advisory (Real Estate Practice) • Terra Search Partners — Executive search in real estate • Leading Voices in Real Estate — Matt's podcast (1M+ downloads) • Themes: RTC/CMBS/REITs, apartment industry, workforce/affordable housing, secondary/tertiary market theses, culture & "best place to work," climate impact of the built environment Connect with Matt: • Podcast: Leading Voices in Real Estate • Firm: ZRG – Global Real Estate Practice • Search: "Matt Slepin ZRG Leading Voices" for episodes & articles Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube Website: planetwealth.com
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    38 min
  • E27: Kathy Fettke: Real Wealth, Real Returns: The Cash-Flow Playbook

    E27: Kathy Fettke: Real Wealth, Real Returns: The Cash-Flow Playbook
    Nov 3 2025
    Mary Katherine Johnson sits down with Kathy Fettke, Co-Founder of Real Wealth, to unpack a practical roadmap to real estate investing that ordinary professionals can use to build durable wealth. After a family health scare wiped out her savings, Kathy discovered the power of rental income and house hacking, then turned a weekend radio show into a learning engine interviewing experts (including Robert Kiyosaki) and stress-testing everything with commonsense cash flow. In this episode, she explains how to leave bubble markets for fundamentals, why average-priced homes near jobs and infrastructure win, and how disciplined vetting of property managers protects returns. Kathy traces the origins of Real Wealth, now an 88,000-member community helping busy professionals buy sensible rentals and participate in passive syndications. You'll hear how she helped clients exit overheated markets, redeploy into metros like Dallas at the start of massive growth cycles, and avoid the 2009 wipeout—while emphasizing education over hype. We cover criteria for market selection (jobs, population, schools, infrastructure), avoiding analysis paralysis, and building a retirement portfolio of cash-flowing assets you'd be proud to offer tenants. She also shares the mindset reset that unlocked her progress—challenging limiting beliefs about money, trusting data plus intuition, and taking action after a focused year of study. Whether you're early in your journey or ready to scale, you'll walk away with a playbook for resilient passive income that aligns purpose, planet, and profit. Subscribe to Fortunes of the Brave for bold, credible, visionary conversations that help you take the next right step. Key Takeaways: • Define buy-box fundamentals and stick to cash flow over speculation. • Follow jobs, population growth, schools, and new infrastructure when choosing markets. • Vet property managers rigorously; your team is the moat around your returns. • Start where the numbers work (average-priced homes); avoid negative cash flow "status" assets. • Educate deeply, then act—progress beats perfection and paralysis. Chapters:• 00:00 – Welcome + who is Kathy Fettke • 01:04 – Real Wealth's mission: build long-term rental portfolios • 02:10 – Health scare, house hacking, and discovering rental income • 05:13 – Pivot to broadcasting about wealth and learning from experts • 07:07 – Mortgage clients' strategies and the power of leverage (then) • 09:50 – First high-net-worth client: seeing the planning gap • 11:44 – Bubble markets vs. fundamentals; enter Dallas playbook • 12:50 – Buying five Texas rentals that actually pencil • 16:30 – How to vet property managers and read local demand • 19:52 – Tenant-first mindset and providing a needed service • 28:46 – Real Wealth today: 88K members, free education, vetted teams • 31:07 – Early syndications and the path to passive investing • 33:37 – Client outcomes and why common sense wins • 35:11 – Debating "it's dangerous to buy" and winning on cash flow • 37:29 – Close + how to connect with Kathy Resources Mentioned: • Real Wealth — free education, vetted teams • Rich Dad Poor Dad — Robert Kiyosaki • Extreme Success — Rich Fettke • Case-Shiller Index (context from Kathy's media appearances) • Rockwall, TX example (schools, commute, infrastructure) • JOBS Act and passive real estate syndications (context) Connect with Kathy: • Website: realwealth.com • LinkedIn • Other: Free weekly investor webinars at Real Wealth Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube Website: planetwealth.com
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    38 min
  • E26: Eric Miller: Treat Your Business Like an Investment: Readiness, Returns, and Purpose

    E26: Eric Miller: Treat Your Business Like an Investment: Readiness, Returns, and Purpose
    Oct 27 2025

    Mary Kathryn Johnson interviews Eric Miller, Co-Owner and Chief Financial Advisor at Econologics Financial Advisors, on how practice owners and entrepreneurs can engineer financial freedom with a disciplined approach to exit planning, owner compensation, and post-sale purpose. Drawing on two decades of experience with private practice owners in healthcare and other fields, Eric explains why every founder should plan an exit early, how to gauge emotional and financial readiness, and why a business must be treated like an investment rather than a job. He introduces the Financial Beast framework: multiple income sources, protection against taxes, inflation, and lawsuits, profitable and transferable operations, no bad debt, and time freedom.

    Eric outlines the CEO's true role—set policy, install guardrails, and manage by a handful of key statistics—then shows how a written Investment Policy Statement (IPS) anchors investment choices when markets and opinions are noisy. He breaks down a simple owner-pay system that treats the household like a parent company receiving a consistent "management fee," translating business success into durable personal wealth.

    For owners eyeing a transition, Eric warns against selling in burnout, parking proceeds in cash out of fear, or chasing unvetted "friend deals." Instead, align allocations to the IPS, perform real diligence, and design a meaningful next game to replace the intensity of operating a business. His core premise is direct: financial success is an inside job—built by habits, clarity, and discipline, not headlines or hype. Fortunes of the Brave shares stories of founders and investors rewriting the rules of wealth, access, and ownership. Subscribe for more conversations that prove fortune favors the brave.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Plan the exit early and assess emotional plus financial readiness before burnout.
    • Treat the business like an investment to make it profitable, transferable, and
    desirable.
    • Lead like a CEO with policies, guardrails, and a few key stats.
    • Create and follow an Investment Policy Statement to guide allocation and risk.
    • Pay the owner on purpose by routing a consistent management fee to the
    household.

    Chapters:
    • 00:00 – Eric's path to advising practice owners
    • 03:00 – Why every founder needs an exit strategy
    • 06:12 – Emotional vs. financial readiness to sell
    • 08:58 – What "Financial Beast" really means
    • 11:56 – Make your business desirable to a buyer
    • 14:34 – CEO guardrails: policy and key stats
    • 17:29 – Post-exit purpose and avoiding bad pitches
    • 21:21 – The IPS: rules for every investment decision
    • 25:17 – Owner pay: household as the parent company
    • 30:03 – Financial freedom is an inside job


    Resources Mentioned:
    • Econologics Financial Advisors
    • How to Become a Financial Beast (book by Eric Miller)
    • Financial Beast Podcast (hosted by Eric Miller)
    • Benjamin Graham's investing principles (e.g., The Intelligent Investor)

    Connect with Eric:
    • Website: Econologics Financial Advisors
    • LinkedIn: Eric Miller
    • Other: Financial Beast Podcast

    Follow Planet Wealth:
    • Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn: @PlanetWealthOfficial
    • YouTube: Planet Wealth Official
    • Website: planetwealth.com
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    36 min
  • Fortunes of the Brave: Don't Miss What's Coming

    Fortunes of the Brave: Don't Miss What's Coming
    Sep 22 2025

    Get ready for the next evolution of Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave!

    We're taking a short break to prepare a fresh intro and deep-dive new episodes!

    Subscribe for relaunch updates, hit the bell for notifications, and check out our website to learn more.

    On Planet Wealth, fortune favors the brave and we're making moves together!

    Visit us at: https://planetwealth.com/
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    2 min
  • E25: Patrick Brown: From Navy to CEO—Building Global Teams & Scaling Smart

    E25: Patrick Brown: From Navy to CEO—Building Global Teams & Scaling Smart
    Sep 1 2025

    This week, Lance sits down with Patrick Brown, the founder and CEO of Unity Communications, to discuss his journey from the US military to building a global outsourcing powerhouse. In this insightful conversation, Patrick shares how his Navy experience honed his negotiation and teamwork skills, which became the foundation for his success in corporate America and entrepreneurship. He delves into the benefits of outsourcing beyond cost-cutting, highlighting it as a crucial growth tool for startups.

    Patrick also talks about managing a global team, emphasizing the importance of culture, discipline, and accountability. He offers valuable advice for startup founders on blending AI with human talent, handling the pressures of leadership, and leveraging offshore resources to maintain equity and efficiency. The episode wraps up with Patrick's candid thoughts on the challenges and rewards of being a CEO and his personal experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy.

    Topics Include:

    • Building and Leading Effective Teams
    • The Importance of Outsourcing
    • Navigating VC Funding vs. Bootstrapping
    • The Realities of Being a CEO
    • Embracing AI in Business Operations

    Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

    Unity Communications

    Unity Communications YouTube

    Connect with Patrick:

    LinkedIn

    Let's Get Social: Connect with Planet Wealth

    Visit Us: Planet Wealth Website

    Produced By: Social Chameleon
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    46 min
  • E24: Mary Kathryn Johnson: From Imperfection to Impact: Creating Your Path to Success

    E24: Mary Kathryn Johnson: From Imperfection to Impact: Creating Your Path to Success
    Aug 25 2025

    In this solo episode, Mary Kathryn Johnson explores the power of embracing imperfection and finding value in life's detours on the path to success. She shares her entrepreneurial journey, from launching "Mommy Loves," a novelty maternity store impacted by the 2008 financial crisis, to building Messenger Funnels, a conversational automation tool that guides prospects toward brand loyalty and conversions. Along the way, Mary highlights how shifting mindset can turn overwhelm into momentum and introduces a three-stage map for clearing mental fog and setting achievable goals.

    She offers practical steps for staying motivated, including brain-dumping worries, focusing on one actionable step, and celebrating small wins. Ultimately, Mary encourages listeners to trust their unique paths, believe in the lessons each detour provides, and continuously evolve toward their goals—reminding us that every obstacle is an opportunity for growth.

    In this episode, you'll learn:

    • How to Embrace Imperfection
    • Lessons from Messenger Funnels
    • Overcoming Overwhelm with Mindset Shifts
    • Practical Steps for Clearing the Fog
    • Tips on Trusting Your Journey

    Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

    Messenger Funnels

    Let's Get Social: Connect with Planet Wealth

    Visit Us: Planet Wealth Website

    Produced By: Social Chameleon
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    23 min
  • E23: Ian Cruz: Co-Founder of TLP Investment Services on Innovation in Real Estate Investing

    E23: Ian Cruz: Co-Founder of TLP Investment Services on Innovation in Real Estate Investing
    Aug 18 2025

    This week, Mary sits down with Ian Cruz, a CPA, investor, and co-founder of TLP Investment Services. Ian shares his journey from witnessing his parents navigate the 2008 housing crisis to owning over 100 units and leading Cincinnati's real estate fractional community. He reflects on how personal experiences—helping his mother through financial challenges, as well as the discipline gained from boxing and marathon running—shaped his resilient, strategic approach to real estate investing.

    Ian emphasizes the power of building local relationships, cultivating the right mindset, and committing to lifelong learning for long-term success. He discusses the role of community and education in fostering winning investment strategies and why innovation, sound strategy, and reliable systems are essential for managing properties effectively. Tune in to hear Ian's inspiring story and discover actionable insights for building lasting wealth.

    Topics Include:

    • Ian's Journey to Real Estate Success
    • Innovations in Real Estate Investing
    • The Power of Networking and Education
    • Tips on Navigating Tough Times
    • Current Trends and Opportunities in Real Estate

    Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

    TLP Investment Services

    Connect with Ian & TLP:

    Website

    LinkedIn

    Instagram

    Let's Get Social: Connect with Planet Wealth

    Visit Us: Planet Wealth Website

    Produced By: Social Chameleon
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    35 min