Episode 25 - Untapped Career Opportunities in Technical Sales
Many people have dreams of changing careers and breaking into the more lucrative world of technology. And to some, that world may seem like a closed, impenetrable loop. But for those who are willing to think outside the box, a role in technical sales might provide the perfect opportunity to break in.
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Ryan Jones, enterprise sales director for Microsoft, as they discuss the role of sales in the tech industry. Ryan gives some background on his experiences, and how we found his passion for sales.
Read More
Episode 24 - Founding a Tech Company with a Background as a Marketer
When you think of the founder of a tech company, your mind tends to immediately picture an engineer in a hoodie hunched over a laptop coding into the wee hours of the night. But for the founders of some of the largest tech companies that you know and love, this isn’t the case. It is possible to launch and scale a tech company with little technical expertise.
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Hassan Riggs, founder, and CEO of Smart Alto, as they speak about Hassan’s experience building his tech company with a marketing background. Hassan recalls his own experiences and offers some advice for anyone who wants to take the leap of faith and pursue their big idea.
Read More
Episode 23 - Closing the Gender Pay Gap in Equity Compensation
According to a study by Rutgers Institute, 24% of male employees hold employer stock options while only 17% of female employees do. Looking at it from a dollars and cents perspective, in 2018 the average value of a stock option for a male employee was $104,902 compared to $26,361 for a woman.
These staggering numbers made it imperative to jump back into our series on stock compensation much sooner than planned. In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Brooke Harley, founder and CEO of Class Rebel, as they talk about the gender disparity in owning equity, and how to negotiate for more.
Read More
Episode 20 - Managing the Tax Implications of Your Employer Stock and Options
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Megan Gorman, founder and managing partner of Chequers Financial, as they discuss the tax implications of managing your employer stock and options. The pair dive into the ways that planning ahead can help mitigate your tax bill, as well as how to find a quality tax professional to help you plan.
Listen in as Malcolm and Megan share their thoughts on seeing the bigger picture when it comes to taxes, how the 10b5-1 trading plan fits into tax planning with employer stock options, and their own preferred ways to receive equity compensation.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 19 - Financial Planning Rules that Everyone With Stock Options Needs to Know
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined with Bruce Brumberg, co-founder and editor in chief of MyStockOptions.com, as they discuss some financial planning rules of thumb when it comes to managing stock options. Malcolm and Bruce go deep on some of the more technical factors that plan participants should consider before making decisions regarding their equity compensation.
Malcolm and Bruce also provide guidance around setting goals for the equity you accumulate, the importance of learning what happens when you leave your company and sharing those details with close family members, exceptions to the standard rule of waiting as long as possible to exercise your stock options, and the tax bracketing approach to stock options.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 18 - The Importance of Diversification When Managing Your Employer Stock & Options
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Bill Dillhoefer, CEO of Net Worth Strategies Inc, as they discuss the importance of diversification when managing employer stock and options. Bill describes his company’s StockOpter software, and the ways it helps financial planning professionals make decisions on behalf of clients who are paid in equity.
Malcolm and Bill dig into the information gap between employers and their employees who are paid in equity and why it exists, the importance of reviewing and understanding your equity grants and plan document(s), what forfeiture value is and why you need to understand it, and how to set a strategy to diversify a concentrated equity position over time.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 17 - Rules of Thumb When Managing Your Equity Compensation
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Amy Reback, head of Charles Schwab stock plan services, as they discuss the basics of equity compensation. Amy shares rules of thumb and other helpful information that every plan participant needs to know about managing their equity compensation.
Navigating the world of equity compensation can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to. Malcolm and Amy discuss recent trends in equity compensation, the roles of the employer and employee in managing the grants, and other best practices such as getting acquainted with the plan document and its various terms and conditions.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 15 - Personal Finance Trends Brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined with Liz Weston, personal finance expert and senior writer for NerdWallet, as they talk about some of the major influences the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the personal finance landscape. Malcolm and Liz discuss the ways in which financial behaviors have either been changed or created, and whether they will stick around after the pandemic is over.
Among the topics discussed, Malcolm and Liz dig into the enhanced child tax credit and how you should plan for it, the ways in which people’s relationships with life insurance has been impacted by the pandemic, and changes in the ways people are now approaching retirement.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 14 - Investing in Alternative Assets Through a Self-Directed IRA
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Patrick Hagen, National Director at Strata Trust, as they discuss the nuances of investing in alternative assets using a self-directed IRA. Patrick educates Malcolm on all of the different types of investments that are available to retirement account holders above and beyond the stock and bond mutual funds that are typically thought of when investing retirement savings.
The pair shed light on what self-directed IRAs are and how they work, what you can and can’t use a self-directed IRA to invest in, how to keep from running afoul of the IRS, and how a self-directed IRA is funded. Listen to this episode to learn what options are available to you to diversify your retirement holdings and incorporate some non-correlated alternatives into your portfolio.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 13 - Building Generational Wealth Through Proper Estate Planning
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Elsa W. Smith, founder of the Law Offices of Elsa W. Smith, as they discuss the role that proper estate planning plays in maintaining generational wealth. The duo discuss the importance of planning now and keeping your documents up to date. The pair offer some advice on having the estate planning conversation across generations to make sure that everyone is on the same page.
It’s said that that 70% of families lose their wealth when it’s passed to the second generation, and 90% lose their wealth by the third. Malcolm and Elsa discuss the differences between a will and a trust, why you might want to have both, and what happens when a family does not create a plan and is forced to go through the probate process.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 12 - Your 401(k) is Not a Piggy Bank
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge speaks with his producer, Aric about his recent blog post that left a few people uneasy. Malcolm Malcolm shares his belief that you should only be borrowing from your 401(k) as an absolute last resort.
Malcolm lays out some of the unintended consequences of taking a loan or early distribution from your 401(k) plan, as well as some alternative ideas to access capital instead of tapping into your 401(k).
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 11 – Turning to Franchising as a Second Act
In this episode, I'm joined by Boynton R. Weekes, a franchise business consultant with FranNet. Boynton and I take a deep dive into all things franchising, from selecting the right concept, how to finance it, and how much time it really takes to operate your own franchise.
Boynton educates me on which well known businesses that we all visit on a regular basis are actually franchises. We also spend time discussing the semi-absentee model of franchising and how much the average franchise costs to get up and running. Be sure to listen until the end where Boynton shares his advice for anyone looking to get started in franchising.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 10 - From Basketball Superstar to Venture Capital Rookie
In this episode, Malcolm is joined by WNBA Champion, Alana Beard, as they dive into Alana's decorated basketball career, as well as her recent pivot into venture capital. Alana shares which parts of her own personal journey have helped her find success in the world of venture capital, as well as what she’s building toward in her second career.
Malcolm and Alana spend time discussing the winning mindset that pro athletes must develop to be successful and the ways in which Alana has been able to use that same winning spirit to find success off the court.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 9 - The Ins and Outs of Donor Advised Funds
In this episode, Malcolm is joined by Mary Jovanovich, senior relationship manager with Schwab Charitable, as they dive into the world of Donor Advised Funds. Malcolm and Mary introduce the concept of donor advised funds and delve into some of the more nerdy details of how and why you might want to incorporate one into your charitable giving strategy.
When it comes to charitable giving, there’s more to it than simply writing a check to a few non-profit organizations near the end of the year and claiming a tax deduction. Listen in as Mary sheds light on what Malcolm believes to be a better solution.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 8 - The Return of the Retail Investor
Since the onset of the pandemic, we have seen a renewed interest in the markets from so-called retail investors - otherwise known as Mom-and-Pop or Main Street investors. What does this mean for the markets long-term?
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Chris Hill, host of the Motley Fool Money podcast by the Motley Fool. Malcolm and Chris offer their respective takes on what could be the driving force(s) behind this movement and whether they think it’s here to stay. They also discuss the ways in which social media has impacted the stock market and what they expect the lasting effects could be.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 7 - Performance Coaching to Get You to the Next Level
Have you ever experienced that “stuck” feeling in your career? Do you appear successful to everyone around you but have a hard time seeing it yourself? Have you ever wondered what performance coaching looks like?
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Christy Rutherford, founder and CEO of Vision Finder International. Christy and Malcolm dive into conversations about performance coaching while Christy shares her own story of how she went from working herself into a burnout to teaching others how to avoid it.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 6 - Key Tax Considerations for Americans Working Abroad
In this episode, Malcolm is joined by Katrina Haynes, Certified Public accountant and international tax expert. Together, Malcolm and Katrina dive into the tax implications of being a U.S. Citizen and working in a foreign country. They take a look at the various ways the Internal Revenue Service can help you avoid double taxation, as well as some of the common filing mistakes that can have a devastating impact if you're not careful.
Whether you’ve already been given an assignment to work abroad, thinking about it, or just curious what it would be like to work in a different country, knowing about the potential changes to your taxes can make a world of difference.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play Music | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 5 - The Journey From Employee to Employer
In this episode, Malcolm is joined by Calvin Williams, the founder and CEO of a fintech startup designed to democratize financial planning, while simultaneously helping to close the wealth gap for many Americans. The pair discuss Calvin's decision to leave behind the comfort and predictability of his 9-to-5 in response to his nagging desire to be a part of something bigger.
Listen to this episode to hear the advice of a startup founder as he recalls some hard learned lessons of the past and shares what he would do differently if given the chance to go back and start again.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 4 - It's Tax Time. Should You DIY or Hire a Pro?
In this episode, Malcolm is joined by Erica James, Certified Public Account. Together, they tackle the topic of how to know when it's time to hire a professional to help you prepare your taxes versus going it alone. They also give the listener some insight into the differences between the various credentials for tax experts, how they charge, and the average costs for their services.
Listen to this episode to discover the advantages and disadvantages of self preparing or hiring a professional each year during tax time.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
Episode 3 - Are You Asking the Right Questions of Your Financial Advisor?
In this episode. Malcolm is joined by his friend, Malcolm Hodge to discuss questions to ask a potential financial advisor before deciding to hire them. Malcolm breaks down the popular term "fiduciary" and explains why it should matter to you as a consumer. The pair also discuss key topics, such as how advisors are compensated, how they invest your money, and how to know whether it's time to hire a professional all.
Listen to this episode to discover some of the telltale signs or "cheat codes" that exist and are designed to help consumers quickly distinguish a good advisor from the rest.
Subscribe Now for Free: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher
Read More
