Speaker 1: 0:13

Ready to get the inside scoop on equity funding? Tune in to TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast for an in-depth look at what it takes to access financial capital and maximize your investments. Hear from experienced professionals, including bankers, underwriters, loan officers and industry experts, as they share their unfiltered stories and valuable lessons on securing funds.

Speaker 2: 0:51

We want to first of all thank everybody for coming out to our Giving Power to the Business Owner webinar series and this is ours that we're having today. Now let's talk a little bit about it. Some of you guys have been following us for a while. We really deal with business owners is our main thing, but we also found out a lot of us transitioned from being a W-2 into being a business owner and we have a tendency to don't look at the things that probably was taken care of when we were actually as a W-2 employee. That is why this is important. Some of those things could be how do you actually set up where you can have your money saved, or what you're working for towards your retirement, towards your goals, or what you want to do for college. All of this stuff can be played out as a business owner, but most of us do not know how to do that.

Speaker 2: 1:41

Two guests today that are coming in to actually talk to us as business owners, as entrepreneurs some things you need to have in place as you do your business, on cash flowing and things of that nature. They're here and if you all have any comments, like we told you before, always send the comments in to us and we'll actually get it to them as well. So, to start the show off, we're going to. First of all, I would like for Sean Williams to introduce himself and then, after that, rachel, if you would, when he finished, introduce yourself, and then we'll go into our questions and answers. Okay, all right, sean, if you would again thank you for being here and, if you would, let's tell our audience a little bit about yourself.

Speaker 3: 2:23

Well, jackie, thank you for having me today. I'm excited to be on the show and I hope I add tremendous value for your business owners. I've been in the industry for 20 years and one of the neat things about what I do is help business owners be the best versions of themselves. Oftentimes, business owners don't realize the power that they have or the impact they can have on not only their own individual family but the community at large, and so, in large part, I'm an aide and assistant. I help people become the best versions of themselves and do realize their potential so that they can do all the wonderful things they want to do. So we can take a small business owner that only has themselves, or maybe two or three employees or 1099 people, and give them the same benefits, the same opportunities as if they were a Fortune 500 company, so being able to show business owners how they can take advantage of tax code and also take advantage of various financial products so that they can plan their future just like they were running a huge corporation.

Speaker 2: 3:24

All right, that is wonderful and that's what we want to talk about a lot today. So we'll get more into those questions. Thank you so much, ms Rachel. If you would, let's get an introduction of you as well.

Speaker 4: 3:35

Sure, absolutely. Sean did a great job at summarizing what we do, but my background is mostly in real estate investing, wholesaling, flipping, all that fun stuff so my goal is to really connect with business owners as well as real estate investors and being a guiding light for them and how to maximize the use of their money and all their other resources, so I'm hoping we can definitely dish out some really good, helpful tips today.

Speaker 2: 4:02

Okay, great Again. Thank you for being here as well, and both of you. We are really excited to have you guys helpful tips today. Okay, great Again, thank you for being here as well, and both of you are. We are really excited to have you guys with us today. Something we've noticed as loan brokers and I know we've had some discussions of this is that we don't see what a business owner understand cashflow. They have a little struggle of what that works and I wanted you to give like some strategies you could recommend for managing cashflow and ensuring the liquidity of their business. Can you give us some pointers on that?

Speaker 3: 4:35

Definitely, having cashflow is the heartbeat of the business. You know, everybody wants not only to survive but to actually thrive, and being able to handle the cash flow, or whenever you set up the cash flow system, that's the most important thing. And so, first of all, what you want to do is set up a set of circumstances where you forecast what you're going to have six to 12 months out. So if you know what you have coming in, you want to be able to determine okay, consistently, I have this fixed amount coming in. You want to be able to determine, okay, consistently, I have this fixed amount coming in. I have these. And so whenever you can anticipate what you're doing, you want to anticipate it, so you can look forward six to 12 months out.

Speaker 3: 5:15

Second thing that you want to do is you want to segment your expenses. And what I mean by segmenting your expenses? You want to understand what's a fixed expense and what's a variable. A fixed expense is the same month after month, after month after month, but when you have a variable expense, it could be the power bill, and so during the winter is, if you're in a cold environment, it's much more expensive than in the summer because of the AC. So when you have a variable, you want to distinguish what's a fixed amount, what's a variable amount. And then, lastly, along that same line, you want to look at what's discretionary as far as the things that you're spending money on. So if things get tight, you can decide what can I cut off or what can I cut back on first, and you will start with those discretionary things. What can I cut back on first, and you will start with those discretionary things.

Speaker 3: 6:06

The next step is that you want to create what I call a liquidity buffer or an emergency fund.

Speaker 3: 6:11

And a liquidity buffer or emergency fund, in an ideal set of circumstances, you have three to six months worth of expenses set aside so that if things got lame, you get into trouble, ran into difficulty financially.

Speaker 3: 6:25

You've got a buffer, some room to breathe before you have to hit the panic button. Another aspect of it is you want to control your spending by looking at how do I speed up my receivables and slow down my payables, and you want to negotiate what those favorable terms for whenever you're negotiating inflows and outflows. So you want to stay ahead of that. And then, third, the next thing that you want to do is just stay on top of it and revisit and review so that you can just regularly to make sure that that cash flow is seamless Whenever you have issues. A lot of times you didn't plan, and if you don't plan, you plan to fail, and so what you want to do is have a structured plan in place so that you have a better ideal, so that when difficulty comes, you're in a good place and able to adjust as you need to okay.

Speaker 2: 7:19

So with that said, you can actually a business can actually come to you and you can help get us set up with all these that you're naming. Am I correct, correct? Okay, so that's what. Let's talk a little bit on it, because I think it's. I mean, you said some really great things as business owners, we don't even look at. I think we don't realize, uh, mr shun, that we can't. We, we can have the same setup a corporation has, but because we're a small business, we want to make it half. A corporation has, but because we're a small business, we want to make it half a million. I don't think we think along those lines. So that's why I thought it was so important. And let me ask you this so your title, because people want to look for it, it won't come to you, but will you fall as a financial advisor or where would you fall at with that?

Speaker 3: 8:03

Correct, my title is financial advisor.

Speaker 2: 8:06

Okay, compared to a lot of times, we just think we have to go to a CPA. Now I know that's a little different, but if you could explain what's the difference of going to a CPA compared to going to someone like a financial advisor like you, because all we know is mainly CPAs.

Speaker 3: 8:22

Okay. So typically I usually partner with CPAs. So from my part, I'll help you with the cashflow, understanding the budgeting. Okay, have you look at? Okay, this is my income, so everybody has income and they got outgoes. And so when you look at income and outgoes now what we're trying to figure out is how do we begin to pinch off enough so that I'm saving enough each month to where I can get this emergency fund set up? Do I have three to six, three to six months worth of room to breathe that kind of situation? And then the other part is we we also typically partner with CPAs and look at the most tax advantage ways that you can. It's not how much money you make oftentimes, but it's how much you get to keep. So we help you play the tax game and so I partner with the CPA to bring about those outcomes.

Speaker 2: 9:14

So what I'm sure want everybody to kind of notice. I know pretty much from my experience of being in business how you guys work together and that's what they have to know. You can't just have if your business is growing. Now, mr William, you tell me if I'm wrong, but if your business is growing and your revenue is growing at some point, you can't just have a CPA, you have to have a financial advisor to come in and work toward that. Now, am I right or wrong? Is that how you got to work a little bit?

Speaker 3: 9:40

That's correct. So say, for instance, a CPA knows the tax laws but they don't typically sell or use the products to implement the strategies. So they might tell you hey, you're making a good money, we probably need to do A, b and C so we can lower your taxable income, but they don't help you put those structures in place. So we would actually potentially put the retirement plan in place so that that money that you're now making can go to that tax plan and now your taxable income is going down. So we put the actual stuff in place, whether it's a simple a SEP, single 401k. So we actually put the actual products in place so that you can execute some of the strategies that the CPA might help you with.

Speaker 3: 10:25

So one of the things that you can do as a business owner let's say French, you were talking about a business owner that's generating half a million dollars worth of revenue One of the things we need to do is look at how do we make sure that if he would have hit a lean stretch, or she would hit a lean stretch, how can we create liquidity moving forward based on the money that they're currently making? So we would introduce different strategies that they can implement so that if things were to slow down, that they still don't have to panic, because now they've got the emergency fund, now they've got money in retirement, now they might have some other vehicles that are adding additional protection to their income, and so there's a lot of different things that we would sit down with them and discuss.

Speaker 2: 11:07

And that's what we don't realize as business owners. That's why it's so important for us to have these type of seminars or series, because you guys come out and let them know. Listen, it's not trying to sell you anything, but if you're going to grow and continue to grow, it's certain things you need to be in place. Now let me ask you this to grow is certain things you need to be in place. Now let me ask you this how much revenue you think a person needs a business should have to? We know CPAs you start off with your CPA but how much revenue you think a person should have to actually start getting a financial advisor? What should my revenue look like? What do you think?

Speaker 3: 11:41

So it depends on the advisor and who he wants to work with. So I have a heart to work with a lot of disadvantaged people who are just getting started, because I think it's just as valuable a person who's making $100,000 a year as somebody who's making a million dollars a year, and so I try to give people a platform they can get in where they fit in. People a platform they can get in where they fit in. So the ideal set of circumstances is sit with them, hear what their heart is, vision, purpose, goals. When I'm looking at that cash flow now, I can say, okay, based on having a healthy relationship, you need to have maybe 10 to 15% of your income or your revenue going to your retirement so that when you get to whatever age now because we started with the end in mind now we can kind of anticipate what we need to do moving forward. So the sooner we can get together and start the planning process, the better.

Speaker 2: 12:36

Exactly, and this is for our owners to know. This is the ugly part. I wish I would have started with one of you all when I started my business, at least a year in, because I see now, hindsight, now that I do have it, that it would have saved so much headaches because you guys know how things are going to look down the line based on our company, because that's what you do. So I really want and we're really pushing it for people to at least reach out and see what you can do for them. Do not just sit there waiting or dealing with the problems on your own. You don't have to do that. So what I do like. Also, we're leading into where you talked about the taxes. That's another thing. People don't realize how you can help them with the tax planning. So, ms Rachel, I have a question for you no-transcript.

Speaker 4: 13:33

Sure. So I know everyone loves to pay taxes, right, but we don't give tax advice, but we do specialize in strategies that work alongside CPAs or tax professionals, making sure we help reduce taxable income and increasing financial efficiency legally but strategically most important important. So one of our favorite approaches we use a tool called an index universal life, also known as an IUL policy. So these are structured to grow cash deferred. They offer tax-free access of income through policy loans and you can pass this on tax-free to a benefit of your heirs. So for business owners, these types of strategies can serve dual purposes they provide future sources of tax-free supplemental income while also making sure that we're creating liquidity for retirement, succession planning and other long-term goals, such as investments, buying more real estate, whatever you're looking to do long-term goals such as investments, buying more real estate, whatever you're looking to do. While we're not trying to necessarily beat the tax code, we are using it as it was designed for business owners who are moving intentionally and planning ahead.

Speaker 2: 14:48

So basically, again, what you are saying that I'm hearing is that you work along with that tax preparation area, so we don't have to try to really just rely on one person, but we have someone that's part of the team, that know what we're looking like. They can kind of help us strategize a lot better than just having our tax prepared. And that's it right. That's what. Basically what you're saying Exactly.

Speaker 4: 15:11

Okay, we have a lot of conversations with CPAs you know, we create a team for that business owner.

Speaker 2: 15:19

All right, and you can provide that, and so that's why I say it's just so simple how much you guys save if business owners I deal with a lot when people come to us as loan brokers, and you all know this they're already distressed and they're looking for money. The thing is there's some things they could have had in place where you won't be such in a rush or panic for money if they would have worked with a financial advisor starting out. But one of the girls here in the office we're talking about you guys had made the comment Well, you know, financial advisors has the stigma of I have to have a lot of money to talk to them. That's something, and I say you know what. You're right. So that's something you all like.

Speaker 2: 15:57

I think you kind of touched on a little bit, Mr Williams. But if you would, Rachel, touch on a little bit of how it's easier to work with you all at any stage, like he said, that's working with you guys, Can you kind of explain a little bit how easy it is to work with you all?

Speaker 4: 16:13

Sure, I mean you have to start somewhere. We're here to talk to you and get a better understanding of what you need and see how we can be valuable in that area. So I think if you have the intention of being a business owner in going to be is going to come to fruition because you've put the right people in place to make sure we can work in your business while you work on your business and I love that.

Speaker 2: 16:44

That's what we need. So, Mr Williams, let me know how do you assist in setting up a retirement or an extra strategy for a business owner? How do you do that?

Speaker 3: 16:56

Anything. When you're talking about long-term planning and looking down the road, you have to start with the end in mind. So the first thing I do, I would sit with the business owner and say okay, what would retirement look like? What would your exit strategy look like? What would you like it to look like? Sometimes that means you may be able to turn the business over to a family member. They're going to buy the business from you. Maybe you're in a set of circumstances where you have a competitor. You've been in the industry a long time but whatever you do, there are competitors who would like to purchase your business. So that might be an option. There are some sort of circumstances where people say you know what I want to do a partial purchase. I might only want to work one day a week, two days a week. I don't want to grind as hard as I have been, but I don't want to sit at home and do nothing. So it really depends on the emotional and psychological setup of what you would like to do. So we just talk about your goals, what's important to you. From there, it determines which type of retirement plan we might look at, because now we might look at a time horizon, based on a five or 10 or 15 or 20 year plan. And so now we have to decide based on your risk tolerance, your time horizon OK, this is how much money you have to put into a plan. So we would choose a plan that's based on your goals of when you want to leave, and so that impacts what type of plan that we choose, and so it's a variety of factors that goes into what's the right plan. So first of all, we have to define what your vision is kind of get clear with that. The next step we establish the proper retirement plan based on your time horizon, your risk tolerance, the amount of money that you have available to put in.

Speaker 3: 18:41

Then we talk about one of the most important things that you could do is have someone do a business valuation to actually have a good idea of what the worth of your business is. So there's a couple of different ways we could begin to talk about how you create a business valuation. But then also we want to talk about diversifying your business so that you don't Most people think of their business as their one asset that one day out in the future they're just going to be able to sell it and everything's going to work out and be hunky dory, but what we talk about is OK. How do you diversify your income streams? But what we talk about is OK.

Speaker 3: 19:17

How do you diversify your income streams? How do you diversify your assets so that, when that day does come, you have options? You've got a variety of things that you can look at. You have assets that might be taxable, you have assets that are coming, and those assets could potentially be tax deferred or tax free, and so now you have options on when and how you leave, based on planning, and so the sooner that you start thinking about these things, the better we can develop a plan that takes into account whatever eventuality that might come.

Speaker 2: 19:51

And I know what you're saying is the truth, like I said again, being a business owner, but also being with them and seeing how we struggle with doing this. Now, this is my opinion, what I think, and you all can let me know what you all think. I tell my clients that you know one. You start making $100,000 a year and you need to start taking yourself and paying yourself. Yeah, you have your CPA, but with that you need to have those long-term goals to go with it. That's where the financial advisor come in. We actually have started mentioning that to our clients because it's amazed how many you meet and they have a CPA but they don't have a financial advisor.

Speaker 2: 20:34

And I see the benefit of 25 years of doing business, of having one. Like I said, I wish I had it in the early part, but I had in the later part. Still, learn, it's never too late. Right, it's good to learn, but the thing is, you guys are really important for the business to bring you on. Now, this is what I'm thinking A person that's even thinking about starting a business and they have it, they're a W-2 employee is it a great time to come in and talk to you just to even start planning toward that. Can we use you for that as well?

Speaker 3: 21:03

Sure, sure. The biggest thing is this the reason why people have CPAs, accountants, things of that nature, because they have to.

Speaker 3: 21:12

And they have to pay their taxes. They want to be good citizens. Nobody wants to go to jail we get that but the biggest issue is nobody's looking after you to help you retire. And so, because there's no immediate, the government is not forcing you to put money away for retirement. They're not forcing you to strategize for your own benefit and your own future. You to strategize for your own benefit and your own future, people don't do it.

Speaker 3: 21:42

And so this is one of those situations where you can sit down and say okay, how can I pay myself what I'm worth, how can I plan for my future so that when I'm advanced in age, if I want to work, I can choose to, but I don't have to? And so the sooner you can start that planning process, the better. The sooner you can start putting a little bit of money away on a tax advantage platform that is going to grow, tax deferred or tax free, and those are the kind of things you need to have those conversations. The sooner you can have those, the better the results, because you have a longer run to allow that money to grow and put you in a position of where you can be in a better place financially. And so the sooner the better, on those situations.

Speaker 2: 22:23

On those situations. Ok, great, and that's what I think too, so I'm great for that. So, talking about planning, like you know, our retirement or, let's say, secession, because you mentioned, like, if you want to sell your business or want to leave it, sell it to your family or friends or whatever, this is a question for you, rachel how can you help with succession planning to ensure that the business will survive beyond the person?

Speaker 4: 22:49

Sure, sure. So succession planning is another intentional set. We like to teach all of our clients as well, so it's essential for protecting your business, your team and your family. So what we do is we help owners design plans that ensure the business survives, even when they're no longer here to run it. So two of the main strategies that we use are buy-sell agreements as well as key person coverage.

Speaker 4: 23:17

So for buy-sell agreements, this is a life insurance policy that can be funded by buy-sell agreements.

Speaker 4: 23:24

So it's between the partners or the family members just making sure when the business changes hands it runs smoothly and it doesn't require the business owner taking out any loans or selling any assets. Okay, so with the key person coverage, if your business relies on you or another pillar in your organization, a life insurance policy can provide the company with immediate liquid funds to cover these expenses. So the time it's going to take to hire a replacement for somebody so important, or even just stabilizing operations in the business, the key person coverage is extremely critical for business owners. But the good thing about these they aren't just insurance policies, they're actual tools that keep the business operational. We want to keep it valuable, we want to keep it protected. We want to keep it protected. Like Sean was saying, if you're ever interested in selling the business, having things in a place like this could keep your business at the value that it deserves to be OK, great, and I think that is something that we all need some direction on.

Speaker 2: 24:37

Mr William, you made a comment about and it made me think about. I want to ask you a person you know a lot of people now doing businesses. They got their business but on the side they have started real estate investment, all right. So I know you kind of mentioned a little bit, but if you could talk a little bit how you guys can help a person that has a business but now you're doing real estate, then you want to look at investments, then you want to look at doing all this stuff, because we all talk, this talk, but I think we need some help to do the walk, the walk. So if you could tell me how you work and help us with that as well.

Speaker 3: 25:06

So, as you said before, we want to sit down with the client and really hear their heart. What's important to them, what do they value, their vision, what do they want to accomplish. And so in a situation like this, let's say, for instance, you start a secondary business, your primary job, you're working somewhere, you're doing well with that, but now you say, okay, I want to branch out and do X on the side. Okay, well, one of the first things that makes sense to make sure X on the side. You want to create a separate entity for that, instead of it being under your social, under your name, because if something happens there, then they can sue you and come after your assets. And so if you have a different entity LLC, whatever makes the most sense what you want to do is have a separate organization. So, if something happens, all of this tied off under that company and they can't come after you. Secondly, one of the things that Rachel just brought up is let's say, for instance, you're I don't know you have a business and you have a business loan. Well, one of the things that you don't want is your family, if something happens to you, whether you became disabled. So now I'm alive, but I'm physically not able to work and do the things that I want to do. So now that loan is still hanging over your head, your family's head, are you die prematurely and that loan is still hanging over your business's head. So one of the things that we do is we would put in potentially, disability insurance. We might potentially put in life insurance. You die prematurely. So now everybody is protected and made whole Right.

Speaker 3: 26:37

You know one of the things that happens in a business she was just talking about key persons. If one of the rainmakers, one of the key people in your business that was vital to the success because they're a big time revenue generator for your business and they died prematurely, what that puts you in the bind. How do you find the next rainmaker? You know what do you do until you find the next rainmaker. So we can work out a situation where it makes perfectly good sense to where the maybe is part of your income revenue stream.

Speaker 3: 27:09

You purchase life insurance for one of these key rainmakers. You don't have to. It's one of these situations where it's discretionary. You get to choose who you do that with. Maybe you just do it for yourself and one of the other key employees that make it happen, it doesn't matter. The point of it is you're thinking ahead and so there can be cash built up over it. You can put vesting schedules along with it. Other side of that, if that person does die, you can have it to where there's a split agreement Part of it might go to their surviving spouse and part of it comes to the company so that the company can stay afloat financially. And so you have to stress, test and look at what are the potential things that could happen and say, okay, what do we need to do so that, if the unexpected or the undesirable thing happens, we even have a plan so that we're going to be okay even in those circumstances?

Speaker 2: 27:53

Mr Williams, how long you say you've been doing this 20 years, and it shows that you've been doing it for 20 years. My gosh, that was a lot, but I know it's things that just some of it I can relate to. For us, the loan business, like you were saying, but it's so important to have you guys. You know, when we start our business, this is what we talk you need to get a banker, a CPA, attorney. What's the other thing? We spoke to someone but they never say financial advisor. Why don't they say that? Because you all are bringing in.

Speaker 2: 28:28

I really think and it's just me, probably, but you all are missing piece for us to really be successful. We are breaking our brains, but from the time of meeting the CPA once a year to meeting him again, we are fried trying to figure all this stuff out. So all we have to do is get in touch with you. So if you would tell, if you all could and maybe Rachel, you as well let's tell our listeners how they can get in touch with you. So if you would tell, if you all could and you know, maybe Rachel, you as well let's tell our listeners how they can get in touch with you guys.

Speaker 3: 28:57

Well, the easiest way to contact me is email or telephone. You know my email address is Sean S-H-A-W-N dot Williams, w-i-l-l-i-a-m-s at W-S Life, that's WhiskeySierraLifecom. Or you can reach me it's a San Antonio prefix but I travel and have clients all over the country. But you can reach me on my cell phone at 210-313-0929. That number again is 210 1 0 3 1 3 0 9 2 9. Sean Williams.

Speaker 2: 29:33

All right, Miss Rachel, let's get your information.

Speaker 4: 29:36

Absolutely. You guys can reach out to me via LinkedIn at Rachel T Walker, and that's Rachel with a Y, r A Y C H E L Walker. My email is Rachel with a Y again, dot Walker at WSLifecom and my best number is 919-539-8455.

Speaker 2: 29:59

Okay, so we got that and you also, everyone can reach out to you. You guys are on our referral page, okay, so they can actually go there and they can click and get you as well. So, before we go, I want each of you to give us some, the last pointers, if you can give us two, or one or two that you would like to give the listeners before you go, if you all can give them that last wisdom, that last note of wisdom, if you could, mr Sean, you go first.

Speaker 3: 30:27

Well, most important thing, anything that is worth working for and giving your life to is worth you sitting down and saying look, I need to build a plan. So I'm a person of faith. There's a scripture that says Habakkuk 2,. It says write the vision and make it plain. So most people have never written a financial vision for their business, for their family. They've never done anything like that. The byproduct of it is a lot of uncertainty, uneasiness. But if you write the vision and make it plain, the scripture says that he that readeth it can now run with it. You can complete the task a lot faster because now you know where you're going. Lot faster because now you know where you're going. And so my biggest tip would be always start with the end in mind. Make a plan, because if you don't plan to succeed, you're planning to fail.

Speaker 2: 31:18

Amen, Amen. All right, Ms Rachel. What's your point to give us? Thank you so much, Mr Williams, for that.

Speaker 3: 31:24

Thank you.

Speaker 4: 31:24

I don't know how I'll top that, but I would just say no, that's right Right know how I'll top that, but I would say, I would say, don't be afraid to reach out to us. We're truly here to be your consultant, your personal therapist. We're kind of all in one and you know, it doesn't matter if you don't feel like you're ready, you're not at the place you want to be. Financially, we're here to help, to help you get there even faster than you could have imagined. So we hope to see you guys soon.

Speaker 2: 31:51

OK, well, that sounds like that's something we definitely want everybody to know. I want to thank everybody for listening. We will have this up on our YouTube channel and everyone would actually get a notice for that. We want to thank our guests for taking time out your busy day and I really do appreciate you fitting us in, Mr Sean Williams and Rachel Walker. You guys did an excellent job and we thank you all so much, and I want to tell our audience thank you for tuning in. Until next time you all take care and we'll talk to you then. Y'all have a great one, See you all later.

Speaker 3: 32:24

Thanks, jackie, see you later.

Speaker 1: 32:26

Bye-bye. We hope you enjoyed this episode of TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast. If you'd like to be a guest or get in touch with us, please visit our website at tdjequityllcnet. Forward slash podcast or email us at podcast at tdjequityfundinginsidersnet. Until next time, take care.