Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth

Latest Episodes:

Episode 303: From Performance to Purpose & The New Era of Wealth Planning Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

What happens when building wealth stops being about returns and starts being about purpose?

In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Tiffany Irving, Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management. With more than 25 years of experience, Tiffany explains why modern wealth management must go beyond investments and focus on holistic planning, collaboration, and long-term impact.

The conversation dives into exit planning for business owners, common mistakes made when selling a company, the emotional side of succession, and why financial planning should start far earlier than most people think. Tiffany also shares insights on financial literacy, debt management, and the growing importance of purpose-driven investing.

Key Takeaways
→ Wealth management today is about integrating investments, tax planning, estate planning, and personal goals.
→ Business owners should begin exit planning three to five years before selling to maximize value and reduce taxes.
→ A collaborative advisory team creates better outcomes than siloed advice.
→ Succession planning must address both financial readiness and emotional identity shifts.
→ Financial planning is not just for the wealthy and is most powerful when started early.

Quote from Tiffany

“Wealth management is no longer just about performance. It’s about purpose, values, and the impact you want your money to have.”

If you are a business owner thinking about growth, succession, or long-term financial clarity, this episode is a must-listen.

Subscribe to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, leave a review, and connect with Tiffany Irving on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus: How Outsourced Accounting Fuels Business Growth Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

Are your financial reports helping you grow your business or just giving you a headache?

In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, guest host Ken May sits down with Rusty Fulling, founder and president of Fulling Management & Accounting Inc., to unpack how small business owners can build a stronger financial foundation through outsourced accounting, fractional CFO services, and proactive tax strategy. Rusty shares real-world stories, practical insights, and a refreshing perspective on turning numbers into clarity, reducing stress, and creating true peace of mind for business owners.

Key Takeaways
→ Financial statements should tell a story, not just list numbers.
→ Outsourced accounting and fractional CFO support help owners move from firefighting to planning.
→ The balance sheet is just as important as the profit and loss statement.
→ Trust is essential, but verification and internal controls protect your business.
→ Clarity around your numbers leads directly to better decisions, more substantial profits, and better sleep.

If you are ready to stop guessing and start making confident financial decisions, this episode is a must-listen.

Tune in now, and if your numbers still feel confusing, consider working with professionals who help translate data into strategy so you can keep growing your business and your wealth.

Connect with Rusty on his website: https://www.fullingmgmt.com/about-us/rusty-fulling

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 302: AI Credit Solutions for Small Business Owners Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

Why do reliable small business owners still struggle to access credit, and how can AI finally fix that?

In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt welcomes Tamara Laine, Founder of MPWR, an AI-driven fintech platform transforming how individuals and small business owners build credit and access capital. Tamara explains how outdated credit systems fail entrepreneurs and gig workers and how MPWR’s Credit IP creates a more complete, human-centered financial picture. This conversation dives into AI agents, financial credibility, more innovative lending, and why consistency matters more than traditional credit scores.

Key Takeaways
→ Why traditional credit models fail small business owners and gig workers.
→ How AI agents create a holistic picture of financial credibility.
→ What Credit IP is and how it redefines lending decisions.
→ Why consistency in payments matters more than income alone.
→ How AI can help borrowers not just get loans but repay them sustainably.

If you are tired of outdated credit systems holding your business back, this episode will shift how you think about capital access.

Listen now and share it with a business owner who needs more innovative financial tools. Please follow the podcast and consider leaving a rating.

Connect with Tamara on LinkedIn

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 300: How the Wealthy Really Build, Protect, and Preserve Wealth Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

What if paying massive taxes every year wasn’t inevitable and what if the wealthiest families in America were playing an entirely different game than you were taught?

In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Mark Miller, CEO of Hilton Tax & Wealth Advisors and Manager of the Hilton Family Office. With nearly four decades of experience, Mark pulls back the curtain on how elite families legally reduce taxes, protect capital, and grow generational wealth.

Mark explains why most business owners unknowingly overpay taxes, why traditional financial planning often fails to meet the needs of high earners, and how real tax planning is a forward-looking strategy, not a year-end scramble. He shares the personal story that changed his entire career when a single strategy saved him over half a million dollars in taxes and ultimately moved him into a zero tax bracket.

This conversation is a must-listen for business owners, executives, and six-figure earners who want to stop leaving money on the table and start thinking like an American dynasty.

Key Takeaways
→ Why most CPAs focus on compliance, not proactive tax planning
→ The difference between retail investing and smart money strategies
→ How layered tax strategies outperform one-time deductions
→ Why buying assets for write-offs is not real tax mitigation
→ How wealthy families prioritize safety, patience, and long-term planning
→ How institutional-level tax and investment strategies are now accessible to business owners
→ Why tax planning must happen before December 31, not after

About the Guest
Mark Miller, RFC, is CEO of Hilton Tax & Wealth Advisors and Manager of the Hilton Family Office. With nearly 40 years of experience, Mark helps business owners and executives legally reduce taxes, maximize deductions, and structure wealth for long term growth and legacy preservation. His strategies mirror those used by Fortune 500 firms and elite families, including the Hiltons.

Audience Gift
Mark is offering listeners a complimentary copy of his book, including Hilton Wealth: How to Invest Like an American Dynasty and The Tax Free Business Owner.

Connect with Mark
→ Website: https://www.hiltonwealth.com/
→ LinkedIn: Mark Miller https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmiller-hiltonfo/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 299: Why Most Businesses Never Sell and What Owners Must Do Now Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

What happens when you try to sell a business that isn’t ready, and why do eighty percent of companies fail to sell at all
This week on Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary talks with Stephen H. Wagner, CFP, CEPA, CEO of Integrity Wealth Advisors and one of the few financial planners who deeply understand both the emotional and economic sides of money. Stephen brings decades of experience helping business owners navigate growth, long-term planning, and the complex exit path most entrepreneurs don’t think about until it’s too late. From fiduciary responsibility to devastating business-sale statistics, Stephen breaks down what every owner must know if they want long-term success and a future they won’t regret.

→ Why eighty percent of businesses never sell, and why seventy-five percent of the ones that do sell regret it within a year. 08.28
→ How fiduciary advisors legally must put your interests first and why that matters more than ever. 03.26
→ The two types of business owners and the financial traps both fall into. 12.53
→ How to prepare your business years before an exit to maximize value. 08.28–09.26
→ Why emotions and politics ruin financial decision-making and how Stephen teaches clients to stay focused on facts. 18.45
→ The real value of a trusted advisor who keeps you invested, organized, and thinking clearly through volatility. 21.22
Call to Action
Subscribe to Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth for honest conversations that help you build a smarter, more profitable business and a stronger financial future.

Connect with Stephen Wagner. www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-h-wagner-cfp

Connect with Gary Heldt. www.linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus: What Businesses Get Wrong About Cash Flow, Profit, & Exit Value Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

What do the most successful entrepreneurs understand about money that struggling business owners never figure out?

In this powerful episode of Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, guest host Jack Reeder sits down with Phil Zuckerman, National Lead Faculty for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. Phil brings nearly fifty years of entrepreneurial experience and decades of mentoring business owners who want more than revenue. They want real wealth, real options, and a business that thrives long after they are done running it.

Phil breaks down the difference between growth and value, why most entrepreneurs underprice themselves, the mindset shifts that separate founders who succeed from founders who burn out, and the surprising truth about cash flow versus profit. This conversation will challenge how you think about your business and provide a more straightforward path to long-term success.

Key Takeaways
→ Why most founders start with passion instead of financial literacy, and how that slows growth
→ The surprising reason cash flow problems are often solved without raising capital
→ The mindset upgrades every entrepreneur needs, including gratitude, risk tolerance, and self-awareness
→ The fundamental difference between growing revenue and building a business that someone will buy
→ Why pricing should always align with value and how undercharging often signals a confidence issue
→ How to prepare your business for exit long before you think you need to

Featured Quote from Phil
“We exist because the customer gives us cash, but we live in the margin. That is what separates one business from another.”

Listen and learn why margins, mindset, and mastery of your numbers determine the future of your business.

Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with another business owner who wants to build wealth, not just revenue.

Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philzuckerman

Connect with Jack on LinkedIn

Please share, like, and subscribe!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 298: There Is No Mailbox Money in Franchising Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

What does it really take to succeed in franchising when so many people still believe it is passive income?

This week on Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth with Gary Heldt, Gary sits down with Brittney Lincoln, Partner and VP of Franchise at Limitless Franchise Growth and Founder of Females in Franchising. With over thirteen years of experience across home services, beauty, fitness, wellness, medical, dog training, and Pilates franchises, Brittney offers an honest, practical look at what franchising truly requires.

Brittney breaks down one of the industry's biggest misconceptions. Many people think franchising is “mailbox money,” meaning passive income with little involvement. In reality, franchising only works when the owner executes the model, leads the team, and stays engaged in the business every day. Execution beats money, intelligence, or excitement every time.

She also shares the trifecta every buyer should evaluate before choosing a brand, the dangers of franchisors scaling too quickly, and why more women should consider franchising as their second act. Brittney’s passion project, Females in Franchising, is a new online community designed to support collaboration, mentorship, and shared knowledge across the franchising world.

Key Takeaways
→ Why franchising is not passive income and requires real execution
→ What “no mailbox money” actually means inside a franchise system
→ How poor franchisor infrastructure creates long-term problems
→ The three-part trifecta every buyer must evaluate
→ Why more women should consider franchising as their next act
→ How mentorship and collaboration accelerate success in franchising

Quote from Brittney:
“There is no mailbox money in franchising. Maybe vending machines, but you still have to go and fill the vending machine.”

Connect to Brittney on LinkedIn:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 297: Your Story Is Your Currency in Business Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

What if your story is the one thing that changes everything in your business?
On Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with media visibility expert and Cre8tive Con founder Julie Lokun for a powerful conversation about the real drivers of visibility. Julie shares how she moved from journalism to law to entrepreneurship and discovered that every business grows when its story is clear, confident, and consistently shared. She explains why earned media beats paid ads, why your digital footprint matters more than ever, and how any entrepreneur can begin simple PR steps without a big budget. Julie also breaks down crisis transparency, on-camera confidence, and how a strong story becomes your most significant competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways
• Your story is the strongest part of your brand
• Earned media builds trust faster than paid promotion
• Visibility grows through clarity and repetition
• Transparency wins during a crisis
• Every business owner can start PR today

Visibility Tools Julie Recommends
• Google Alerts shows where your name appears online
• Google Trends highlights what topics are heating up
• MUCKRACK helps you find journalists in your niche
• Twitter is a prime place for journalist requests using journorequests or journorequest
• Featured connects publishers with expert voices
• Help a Reporter Out HARO connects journalists and sources
• Qwoted helps reporters find reliable experts
• Blogging on your site and on Medium strengthens your authority and digital footprint

Julie's quote:
“Your voice is your currency. When people see it clearly, everything changes.”

Explore Cre8tive Con at cre8tivecon.com and reach Julie at julie@cre8tivecon.com

Catch the latest episodes of Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth on your favorite podcast platform.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 296: How Business Improvement Districts Help Small Businesses Grow Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

What does it take to transform a neighborhood into a thriving business community? On Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Mark Burns, Executive Director of the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District. Mark draws on more than 20 years of experience in real estate leasing, government property management, and community revitalization to explain how small businesses can tap into local resources, avoid costly leasing mistakes, and position themselves for long-term success. From negotiating city-owned properties to managing major Miami capital projects, Mark has seen it all. His insider perspective gives business owners a clear understanding of how government works, how Business Improvement Districts operate, and how to use these resources to grow stronger, smarter, and more sustainably. This conversation is packed with real strategy, clear examples, and lessons every business owner should hear. Key Takeaways → Why Business Improvement Districts give small businesses more power than acting alone → How Coconut Grove was revitalized into one of Miami’s most desirable neighborhoods → The most significant mistakes business owners make when signing leases → Why business owners miss out on grants and free resources → How long-term planning protects businesses from future economic swings → How entrepreneurs can build influence and gain a board seat in their district Featured Quote from Mark Burns “The people who step out of their routine are the ones who succeed.” To learn more about Coconut Grove’s Business Improvement District or to connect with Mark, visit CoconutGrove.com.

Follow Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth for more conversations that help business owners strengthen their financial future.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 295: How To Pay Zero Taxes Legally & Build Wealth Overseas Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

What if you could legally pay zero taxes while building wealth around the world?

In this episode, Gary sits down with Mikkel Thorup, the world’s most sought-after expat consultant and the Founder and CEO of Expat Money. Mikkel has spent more than 25 years traveling to 120 countries, living in 9 of them, and building a thriving international consulting firm that helps high-net-worth clients reduce taxes, secure second residencies, and build global investment portfolios.

He breaks down the truth behind the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, why residency matters more than people think, how offshore banking protects you from government freezes, and what countries offer the most favorable territorial tax systems. Mikkel also shares his personal story of overcoming dyslexia, dropping out of school, and designing a life and business that spans the globe.

This conversation gives you the facts that most professionals never learn. If you have ever wondered how wealthy people legally reduce taxes, diversify risk, and expand their options beyond the United States, this episode opens that door.

Key Takeaways
→ Understanding the two global tax models and why the United States is unique in taxing citizens, no matter where they live
→ How the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion works and the difference between the physical presence test and bona fide residency
→ Why offshore banking is an essential part of a financial plan B, and when it protects you from domestic account freezes
→ What territorial taxation means and why countries like Panama, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Belize attract entrepreneurs
→ How active income and passive income differ for expats and how classification affects legal tax reduction
→ Why obtaining legal residency or a second citizenship is the foundation for any global tax strategy

Quote From Mikkel Thorup
“I tell everybody this. You can legally pay less tax, invest globally, and increase your freedom, but you must follow the rules and structure your life correctly. That is the real secret.”
Ready to explore tax reduction, global residency, or international investments? Connect with Mikkel at ExpatMoney.com to access his newsletter, resources, and consulting options.

Catch every new episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth with Gary Heldt wherever you listen to podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected