Chad Willardson went from top 2% at Merrill Lynch, speaking on Wall Street stages, to walking away from the corporate “matrix” to build a life where family and freedom come first. Today, he’s the founder of Pacific Capital, a fiduciary wealth advisory firm serving entrepreneurs and families, a five-time author, and a leading voice challenging the hustle culture with a new framework: work-life integration.

Raised with strong family and faith values but no entrepreneurial wealth, Chad learned early that true success isn’t just about a big bank account—it’s about being present at home and building wealth that lasts across generations. His books Smart, Not Spoiled and Why Work-Life Balance Is a Lie reveal how to raise grounded kids, manage money differently, and create both financial freedom and family legacy at the same time.

This episode explores:

• Growing up in a family that valued presence and faith over money—and how that shaped his path
• Turning down lucrative Wall Street jobs as a newlywed to prioritize marriage and fatherhood
• Leaving Merrill Lynch after 9 years despite high performance, and the freedom entrepreneurship unlocked
• Why entrepreneurs are “wealth wired differently”—and why traditional advice fails them
• Smart, Not Spoiled: practical ways to raise kids who understand money, work ethic, and value creation
• Why financial literacy should be taught in schools from 1st grade through college
• The viral Babysitter Guide that became a parenting and leadership lesson
• Missing the Kentucky Derby “main event” to make his son’s playoff game—and why he’d do it 100 out of 100 times
• Work-life integration: putting family on the calendar first, then business
• How money mindsets are inherited—and how anyone can rewire theirs to build wealth
• Why financial freedom is possible for everyone, regardless of background

This episode is about faith, family, and freedom. Chad’s story will challenge you to stop chasing hustle culture, start defining success on your own terms, and create wealth without sacrificing the relationships that matter most.

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🔗 Connect with Chad Willardson

Website: https://chadwillardson.com

Book: https://fullyinvested.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/chadwillardson

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host - Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

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🔥 About the Guest – Chad Willardson

Chad Willardson is the President & Founder of Pacific Capital, a fiduciary wealth advisory firm in Southern California. With 23+ years advising entrepreneurs and families, Chad is a trusted voice on financial freedom, family legacy, and entrepreneur-focused wealth strategies. He’s the author of five books, including Smart, Not Spoiled and Why Work-Life Balance Is a Lie. His work has been featured in major outlets, and his viral parenting and money frameworks have reached millions. A husband, father of five, and entrepreneur, Chad leads with faith, integrity, and the belief that real success means thriving in both business and family life.

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Tags & Keywords

Chad Willardson, Pacific Capital, Smart Not Spoiled, Why Work Life Balance is a Lie, Fully Invested, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, financial freedom, wealth management, entrepreneur money mindset, family legacy, parenting and money, financial literacy, entrepreneur wealth, fiduciary, Wall Street to entrepreneur, money mindset, wealth wired differently, faith and business, work life integration, freedom and family

Abbie Ayala went from hustling in the Bronx during the 1990s “get money” era to becoming the host of the ABFive Podcast, a raw and authentic platform that gives real people a voice. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, Abbie became a father at 19, grew up alongside his daughter, and later learned the hard truths of parenting, hustling, and surviving street life. From driving cabs for drug dealers and executives alike, to realizing in a tense moment that he wasn’t built for the streets, Abbie found his path in storytelling. What started with Fat Joe’s IG Lives and a conversation with his pregnant daughter turned into a purpose-driven mission: using his podcast to impact lives, represent the Bronx, and show what it means to keep it real.

This episode explores:

- Growing up in Puerto Rico and the Bronx, and how his mom’s strength shaped his path

- Becoming a young father at 19, raising a daughter while still trying to figure out life

- The “get money era” of the 90s—hustling cabs, street temptations

- Starting the “Calls from the Inside” segment to give incarcerated voices a platform

- Why peace is more valuable than wealth—and why authenticity always wins

- Lessons on networking, impostor syndrome, and building a Bronx-rooted community through podcasting

This episode is about resilience, authenticity, and using storytelling as a tool for impact. Abbie’s journey will challenge you to rethink what “success” looks like, to stop chasing validation, and to start building your own lane—by any means necessary.

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🔗 Connect with Abbie Ayala

Instagram: https://instagram.com/abfive_podcast

YouTube: @LIVEWITHABFIVE

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

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🔥 About the Guest – Abbie Ayala

Abbie Ayala is the host and creator of the ABFive Podcast (Live with AB5ive), a Bronx-born show spotlighting real stories from hustlers, entrepreneurs, DJs, community leaders, and everyday people with extraordinary journeys. Inspired by Fat Joe’s IG Lives, Abbie launched his podcast with raw conversations—beginning with his own daughter—and grew it into a 70+ episode platform built on authenticity and impact. A proud father, Bronx native, and union doorman, Abbie blends street lessons, family values, and guerrilla-style production into a one-of-a-kind show that proves you don’t need a studio to make an impact—you just need heart, hustle, and a tripod.

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Tags & Keywords

Abbie Ayala, ABFive Podcast, Live with AB5ive, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, Bronx podcast, Bronx hustle, Bronx storytellers, Fat Joe IG Live, young fatherhood, parenting in the Bronx, street hustle, 32BJ doorman, authentic storytelling, guerrilla podcasting, Bronx DJs, Funk Flex interview, Toughie, Major Galore, South of Girls, Calls from the Inside, impact over money, chasing peace, keeping it real

Chef Kelvin Fernandez went from a kid in Harlem who didn’t even realize his family was poor—to becoming the youngest executive chef in New York City at just 22, a Beat Bobby Flay winner, and a private chef trusted by Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez. Raised by Dominican immigrant parents, Kelvin discovered cooking in high school, found discipline in kitchens that tested him to the edge, and built a career on sacrifice, flavor, and breaking down gatekeeping in the culinary world.

This episode explores:

• Growing up in Harlem, food stamps, and immigrant grit
• Cutting his thumb in the kitchen and choosing discipline over excuses
• Winning a full scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America
• Becoming the youngest executive chef in NYC at 22
• Competing on Chopped, winning Beat Bobby Flay with his signature arepa, and landing on Forbes 30 Under 30
• Building La Marina’s legendary Uptown kitchen crew and creating Tasting Tuesdays
• The private chef chapter: from Jose Reyes to Jennifer Lopez, and why he walked away
• Opening doors for the next generation and eliminating “gatekeeping” in the industry
• Why family and partnership with his wife are now his greatest ingredients for success

This episode is about grit, mentorship, and redefining what success tastes like. Chef Kelvin’s story will challenge you to see setbacks as seasoning, believe in the power of discipline, and remember that the perfect bite isn’t just on a plate—it’s in the life you build.

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🔗 Connect with Chef Kelvin Fernandez

Instagram: https://instagram.com/chefkelvin

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

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🔥 About the Guest – Chef Kelvin Fernandez

Chef Kelvin Fernandez is a Dominican-American chef raised in Harlem, New York. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Kelvin became the youngest executive chef in New York City at 22, and has since led kitchens at La Marina, Blend, and The Strand Hotel. Known for his elevated Latin cuisine and signature arepas, Kelvin is a Beat Bobby Flay winner, a Chopped finalist, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. His career spans restaurants, celebrity private chef work, and mentorship programs that open doors for the next generation of culinary talent. Today, Kelvin continues to innovate through pop-ups, private events, and his upcoming sports bar venture, while championing collaboration and authenticity in every kitchen he touches.

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Tags & Keywords

Chef Kelvin Fernandez, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Forbes 30 Under 30, La Marina, Dominican chef, Harlem success story, Latin cuisine, arepas, culinary mentorship, discipline, gatekeeping, hospitality, Jennifer Lopez chef, Alex Rodriguez chef, CIA scholarship, immigrant story, resilience, New York chefs, mentorship, food entrepreneurship, private chef, Uptown chefs