✔️Summary:

In this episode, I interviewed T.J. van Gerven, a millennial financial planner. T.J. discusses his journey and philosophy in financial planning, focusing on serving the millennial generation. Starting his practice in 2018, T.J. emphasizes transparency and tailored advice, distinguishing himself from traditional advisors who often sell financial products rather than providing genuine advice.

T.J. explains that many financial advisors historically have had a bad reputation due to their sales-driven approach. However, the new generation of advisors, like him, are changing this by being transparent about fees and focusing on the client’s best interests. He structured his practice based on how he would want to be served, emphasizing straightforwardness and transparency.

He highlights the importance of understanding and managing equity compensation, especially for clients in startups with stock options. T.J. advises on strategies like managing concentration risk and planning for tax implications, such as the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). He emphasizes the need to balance short-term tax savings with long-term tax efficiency.

For millennials, T.J. advocates for financial flexibility over strict financial independence. He believes in creating good financial habits and using resources wisely, allowing clients to adapt to changing life circumstances without waiting until traditional retirement age.

T.J. prefers passive investing through index funds and ETFs, aligning with the philosophy that achieving average market returns often outperforms active management. Maintaining a small client base allows T.J. to provide personalized service and maintain a work-life balance. He focuses on quality over quantity, aiming to serve around 50 households effectively.

For those interested in learning more about financial planning, TJ recommends resources like Kitces.com and books such as "Consider Your Options" for stock options and "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant" for broader wealth-building advice.

⭐️About T.J.:

Theodore Joseph (T.J.) is a financial planner, the founder of Modern Wealth Builders, and the host of the podcast "Do More With Your Money."

After graduating from Virginia Tech, T.J. has dedicated his entire career to the financial services industry. He is passionate about helping millennials use money intentionally to build toward financial flexibility and independence.

Outside of his professional work, T.J. enjoys practicing Muay Thai, listening to audiobooks, visiting Martha’s Vineyard, and spending time with his friends and family.

💜 Where to find T.J.:

► Website: https://modernwealthbuilders.com

► Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjvangerven

► X: https://x.com/tjvangerven

► Podcast: Do More With Your Money

☞ T.J.’s Book Recommendation:

► "Common Sense on Mutual Funds" by Jack Bogle

► "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" by Burton G. Malkiel

► "Consider Your Options" by Kaye Thomas

► "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant" by Eric Jorgenson

✔️Summary:

In this episode, I interviewed Randy Langenderfer, a former corporate executive turned full-time multifamily real estate investor. Randy shared his journey from the corporate world to multifamily real estate investment. A year ago, he left his corporate job to focus solely on multifamily investments, a journey that began a decade prior while working for the private equity firm, Carlyle Group. Concerned about job security, Randy sought an alternative income stream and explored various options like small business ownership and franchise opportunities before finding his passion in real estate.

Initially dabbling in single-family home flipping, Randy eventually shifted to multifamily properties due to their scalability and potential for passive income. He appreciated the advantages of non-recourse loans and the syndication model, allowing multiple investors to acquire large properties. Over four years, Randy transitioned from a limited partner to a general partner, methodically building his expertise and confidence before leaving the corporate world entirely.

Randy discussed strategies to mitigate the challenges posed by high-interest rates, such as seeking unique investment opportunities and avoiding variable-rate debt. For example, he mentioned properties with tax abatements and build-to-rent townhouses in high-growth areas like North Dallas.

Addressing the attractiveness of real estate investment versus risk-free options like treasury bills, Randy highlighted the long-term benefits of real estate, including tax advantages and appreciation potential. He emphasized the importance of relationships, advising passive investors to get to know their general partners and understand the deal analytics. He encouraged aspiring investors to take a long-term view, stay educated, and follow the playbook of successful predecessors.

⭐️About Randy:

Randy Langenderfer is a seasoned real estate investor with over a decade of experience. His journey began with single-family home remodels. Transitioning to multifamily investments, Randy discovered the path to true financial freedom.

With an MBA in Finance and over 25 years of corporate leadership in various industries, Randy's expertise lies in risk management and governance. He founded InvestArk to identify low-risk, high-return investment opportunities. Currently, his portfolio includes nearly 4,000 units, all managed by top-tier property management and operational oversight teams.

Randy advises new investors and busy professionals to consider passive investment in multifamily real estate. This approach offers diversification, lucrative and recession-resistant returns, tax savings, and the creation of legacy assets without the hassles of active property management.

For those interested in hands-off real estate investing, Randy invites them to learn more about InvestArk Investors Club through LinkedIn or by visiting InvestArk's website to watch the free training, “How To Recession-Proof Your Retirement With Hands-Off Commercial Real Estate Investing.”

💜 Where to find Randy:

► Website: https://www.invest-ark.com/

► Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-langenderfer/

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randy.langenderfer

☞ Randy’s Book Recommendation:

► “The Hands-Off Investor: An Insider's Guide to Investing in Passive Real Estate Syndications” by Brian Burke

✔️Summary:

In this episode, I interview Riggs Eckelberry, President & CEO of OriginClear, Inc., who shares his diverse background, which includes international living due to his father’s career, work in the nonprofit sector, and a stint as a professional Merchant Mariner. He emphasizes that these experiences have given him a global perspective and a drive to use technology for positive change. Initially, his ambitious tech endeavors in New York failed due to lack of capital, teaching him resilience and the importance of persistence.

His career took off in Los Angeles in the high-tech industry, particularly in computing for communication, where he ascended to C-level positions, ultimately leading a company onto the NASDAQ. However, he then shifted focus from tech to green energy, specifically biofuels from algae. Despite initial success, this venture collapsed when crude oil prices fell, prompting a pivot to wastewater extraction technology.

The company, now known as OriginClear, transitioned to focus on decentralized water treatment solutions, addressing the significant gap in water infrastructure, especially highlighted by climate change and rising demand. OriginClear’s innovative approach involves creating modular, containerized water treatment systems for industries and communities, reducing reliance on central systems. They also developed a financial model to support this through regular investors, making water treatment accessible and scalable.

Riggs notes that while large corporations have their own solutions, OriginClear’s niche lies in serving smaller entities like mobile home parks, which face stringent sanitation requirements. By offering water-as-a-service, OriginClear alleviates the financial burden on these communities, making essential upgrades feasible without upfront capital.

Looking forward, Riggs is excited about the potential of decentralized water treatment systems to solve significant water issues globally, drawing parallels to how cell towers leapfrogged landlines in developing regions. This decentralized approach is not only more cost-effective but also better suited to the needs of modern water management, ensuring sustainability and efficiency.

⭐️About Riggs:

Long a disruptive tech marketer and executive, Riggs Eckelberry became involved in the early “green” space when he co-founded the company that eventually became OriginClear, taking it public in 2008.

Beginning in 2014, he and his team developed a series of transformative businesses which OriginClear manages in its role as the Clean Water Innovation Hub™.

Riggs Eckelberry is passionate about Break To Build™, which is about reinventing, with a team.

💜 Where to find Riggs:

► Company Website: https://www.originclear.com/

► Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riggs/

► X: https://x.com/riggseck

☞ Riggs’s Book Recommendation:

► “The Innovator's Dilemma” by Clayton M. Christensen

► “Foundation” by Isaac Asimov

► "Dune" by Frank Herbert