Wealthyist

In this episode of Wealthyist, host Anthony Mlachnik, a senior wealth advisor at Annex Wealth Management, sits down with Amanda Payne, President and CEO of the Waukesha County Business Alliance (the local Chamber of Commerce). The conversation explores why Waukesha County ranks among Wisconsin's wealthiest and the top 200 in the U.S., highlighting its appeal as a hub for business success, family life, and community vibrancy.

Key highlights include:

In this engaging episode of Wealthyist, hosted by Anthony Mlachnik (Senior Wealth Advisor at Annex Private Client), he interviews Karisa Gretebeck, Manager of Volunteer Engagement at United Way in Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. With nearly 15 years at United Way, Karisa shares her journey from a small nonprofit to embracing the organization's global reach, brand strength, and collaborative impact in creating positive community change.

The conversation centers on evolving philanthropy among wealthy individuals, families, and corporations. Key highlights include:

This episode focuses on the realities of selling a business, especially in the lower middle market (businesses under ~$200M in revenue). Here's a breakdown of the main points Steve covers:

In this episode of Wealthyist, host Tom Berkholtz interviews Khaleel Ali, Senior Education Savings Consultant at TIAA-CREF (the plan manager for Edvest, Wisconsin's 529 college savings plan). Khaleel shares his 16+ years in financial services and his six-year tenure with the Edvest program, which has been managed by TIAA-CREF since 2012 and boasts over $6 billion in assets (with recent figures showing $5.63 billion across 238,000+ accounts as of late 2024).

The discussion covers the basics of 529 plans: tax-advantaged accounts similar to retirement vehicles but dedicated to education expenses, with low entry (starting at $25) and triple tax benefits—tax-deferred growth, tax-free qualified withdrawals, and Wi...

Guest: Jake Biernbaum, renowned horse trainer and founder of Pear Tree Ranch in Ocala, Florida. Known for his large YouTube following and expertise in natural horsemanship.

Key Points from the Episode:

In this episode of the Wealthiest podcast (hosted by Anthony Mlachnik, Senior Wealth Advisor at Annex Private Client), guest Chellee Siewert (President and Founder of Capture Sports & Entertainment) discusses how her firm helps professional athletes, entertainers, and organizations develop authentic philanthropic strategies.

Key highlights include:

Host: Anthony Mlachnik (Senior Wealth Advisor, Annex Private Client)
Guest: Anna Franklin – Founder & Creative Director of Stonehouse Collective (Milwaukee/Wisconsin-based luxury interior design firm)

Anna’s Journey

Perfect episode for any entrepreneur who knows they’ll eventually sell but hasn’t yet faced the question: “What then?”

In this week’s Wealthiest episode, host Anthony Mlachnik sits down with Andy Oliver, a 30-year finance veteran, two-time business founder/exiter, and partner at Oak Hill Business Partners, a boutique consulting firm that helps lower-middle and middle-market owners dramatically increase enterprise value and prepare for a successful exit.

Key highlights and takeaways:

Equity Compensation – what it is, why companies use it, the main types, tax pitfalls, and planning tips.Why Companies Offer Equity CompensationPrimary goal: Attract, retain, and motivate top talent (especially in tech/AI race – Google, Apple, Nvidia, etc.).
Acts as “golden handcuffs” via vesting schedules (e.g., 25% per year over 4 years or a 3-year cliff).
Works for both public and private companies, but private-company equity is riskier (needs a liquidity event like IPO or buyout to have real value).

Main Types of Equity CompensationRestricted Stock Units (RSUs) – Most common & simplest  Company gives you actual shares (not an opti...

Core Theme: How a middle-class Wisconsin upbringing, strong family values, and an athlete’s mindset of consistent small improvements shaped Steve Novak’s approach to money, lifestyle, and giving back — and kept him far away from the “broke ex-athlete” stereotype.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation:

In this episode of Wealthyist, host Brian Lamborne (Senior Wealth Strategist at Wealth Management) welcomes Nick Kozik, Director and Shareholder at TKO Miller, a Milwaukee-based boutique investment banking firm specializing in sell-side transactions for family-owned businesses (typically $15M–$250M enterprise value). The discussion dives into the current M&A landscape, strategies for business owners eyeing an exit, and pitfalls to avoid when selling.

Key Highlights

In this empowering episode of Wealthyist—the podcast exploring the lifestyles, choices, and strategies of the affluent—host Deanne Phillips (a CFP and bodybuilding enthusiast) interviews Dr. Tes Jordens. Dr. Jordens, founder of 1988 Wellness (named for the year U.S. women gained independent access to small business loans), shares insights on midlife women's health, debunking myths around menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and obesity. The conversation ties into "wealthyist" trends, emphasizing proactive, private-pay investments in vitality as foundational to financial success and confidence.

Key Discussion Themes

Estate planning is uncomfortable (addresses incapacity and death) but essential; integrate it naturally into life/financial discussions for comprehensive planning.

Key Checklist of Must-Have Documents & Designations

In this episode of the "Wealthyist" podcast, hosted by Anthony Mlachnik, senior wealth manager for Annex Private Client, the focus is on private investments and their role in a diversified portfolio. Mlachnik is joined by Brian Jacobsen, Annex’s chief economic strategist, to discuss the nuances of private markets and their relevance for high-net-worth individuals.

The episode begins by defining private markets in contrast to public markets. Private markets include investments like private equity, private credit, private real estate, and private infrastructure, which are not publicly traded and thus don’t appear on stock tickers. Jacobsen addresses misc...

The podcast "Wealthyist," hosted by Austin Grandinetti with guest Dr. Brian Jacobson from Annex Wealth Management, discusses a Forbes article highlighting shifts in the investment priorities of high net worth individuals. Key points include:

Recently Dr. Brian Jacobsen and Brian Lamborne discussed implications of the OBBBA on Business Owners. In this episode of Wealthyist, hosted by Brian Jacobsen, Chief Economist at Annex Wealth Management, and featuring Brian Lamborne, Senior Wealth Strategist, the discussion focuses on the implications of the "one big beautiful bill" (likely referring to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act or a similar tax legislation) for business owners across the lifecycle of a business: starting, running, and selling or winding up. Here's a summary of the key points:

1. Starting a Business

In this republished episode of "Wealthyist" podcast Episode 24, host Brandon Lehman interviews Dale Kooyenga, president of the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, about economic development in the Milwaukee region, specifically the Milwaukee Seven (M7), which represents seven counties in southeast Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha, and Washington. The M7 focuses on regional economic development to attract large companies like Microsoft, Eli Lilly, and Hasbro by leveraging the area’s strengths.

Key Points:

In this week's episode of the "Wealthyist" podcast, hosted by Dr. Brian Jacobsen, Chief Economist at Annex Wealth Management, with guest Brian Lamborne, Senior Wealth Strategist at Annex Private Client, discussion focused on Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) and comparisons to the Qualified Business Income Deduction (QBID) from their previous episode. 

Here's a summary: QSBS applies to stock in a C corporation that has spent most of its life as a C corporation. Unlike QBID, which is a deduction for pass-through entities (e.g., partnerships, S corporations), QSBS offers an exclusion of capital gains when selling the s...

 Exploring key tax provisions like Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction and Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS), and their implications for starting and selling a business, as influenced by the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBB).

Synopsis:
In this episode of Wealthyist, Dr. Brian Jacobsen and Brian Lamborne dive into the complexities of business tax strategies, likening them to an "alphabet soup" of acronyms like QBI and QSBS. They discuss how these provisions impact business formation, tax planning, and eventual business sales, particularly in light of the OBB's changes. The conversation highlights the importance of strategic entity selection (e...

In this episode of Wealthyist, host Anthony Mlachnik, a senior wealth manager at Annex Wealth Management, interviews Collin Yelich, a former professional baseball player turned high-end real estate professional in southeast Wisconsin. The discussion focuses on Yelich’s transition from athletics to real estate, his integration into the Milwaukee community, and his work helping professional athletes and others settle into new environments.

Key points:

In this episode of "Wealthyist", hosted by Anthony Malachnik, Senior Wealth Manager, and Brian Jacobsen, Chief Economist at Annex Wealth Management, the discussion focuses on the implications of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB), signed into law on July 4, for business owners planning their exit strategies. Key points include:

In this episode of the "Wealthyist" podcast, hosted by Dr. Brian Jacobsen, Chief Economist at Annex Wealth Management, and featuring Erik Strom, Director of Financial Planning, the discussion centers on the impact of the "big beautiful bill" on charitable giving and tax-efficient strategies. Key points include:

In this episode of Wealthyist, hosted by Brian Lamborne, senior wealth strategist at Annex Private Client, and featuring new team member Anthony Mlachnik, the discussion focuses on strategic financing as a tool for the wealthy. Continuing from a prior conversation on tax-aware investing, they explore how strategic financing leverages assets to borrow money tax-free, providing liquidity without triggering taxable gains. This approach is particularly useful for short-term needs, such as relocating from Wisconsin to Florida, funding college, or buying a car, by using options like margin accounts, pledged asset lines of credit, or home equity lines of credit.

In this episode of "Wealthyist," hosted by Brian Lamborne, Senior Wealth Strategist with the Annex Private Client Team, the focus is on tax-aware investing and aligning financial strategies with clients' purposes. Brian introduces Anthony Mlachnik, a new senior wealth manager at Annex Private Client, who shares his background and his experience working with complex clients nationwide.

The discussion centers on the importance of tax-aware investing, which involves aligning estate planning, investments, and tax strategies to optimize client outcomes. Anthony emphasizes the need to define a client’s purpose—such as family happiness or legacy building—to guide financ...

In this episode of Wealthyist podcast, hosts Brian Lamborne, a senior wealth strategist, and Alec Durand, an estate planning attorney with Annex Wealth, discuss the implications of the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act in the context of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). The TCJA, effective since 2018, doubled the federal estate tax exemption to around $14 million (adjusted to $13.99 million in 2025), reduced income tax brackets, doubled the standard deduction, and introduced benefits like the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction and bonus depreciation for businesses. These changes simplified estate planning for many, as fewer people faced federal...

Episode Focus: The episode explores the lifestyles, choices, and strategies of the wealthy, with a specific focus on their interest in exclusive and rare wines, wine trends, and the art of collecting and storing wine.

Key Points Discussed:

This week's episode of Wealthyist podcast, hosted by Kent Helene, Associate Wealth Manager at Annex Wealth Management, features a conversation with Sandy Wysocki, Executive Director of the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts. The episode explores the intersection of arts, philanthropy, and financial planning, particularly for high-net-worth individuals. Here’s a summary of the key points:

In episode 25 of "Wealthyist," Annex Private Client Wealth Strategist Brian Lamborne  discusses charitable giving with Jason Kohout, Chair of the Family Office area at Foley and Lardner and director of the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network. Kohout, an estate planner, focuses on helping clients with wills, trusts, tax planning, and charitable contributions, including creating private foundations. Key points include:

In this episode of "Wealthyist" podcast, host Brandon Lehman interviews Dale Kooyenga, president of the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, about economic development in the Milwaukee region, specifically the Milwaukee Seven (M7), which represents seven counties in southeast Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha, and Washington. The M7 focuses on regional economic development to attract large companies like Microsoft, Eli Lilly, and Hasbro by leveraging the area’s strengths.

Key Points:

In this episode of the Wealthyist podcast, hosts Brian Lambourne and Alec Durand discuss the common misconception that forming an LLC is primarily for tax benefits. They clarify that the primary purpose of an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or corporation is to limit liability for business owners, not to provide tax advantages. 

Key points include:

In this episode of the Wealthyist podcast, hosted by Brandon Lehman, Director of Private Client, the focus is on the booming global pet care market, valued at $247 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $425 billion by 2032. Lehman interviews Allen Kline, owner of K9 Resorts of Brookfield, a luxury dog daycare and boarding facility branded as the "Ritz-Carlton of dog hotels." 

Key Points:

The podcast "Wealthyist," hosted by Carl Holzem, a client service manager and golf enthusiast, explores the lifestyles and strategies of wealthy individuals, focusing on their affinity for golf. Joined by Rob Jansen, Executive Director of the Wisconsin State Golf Association (WSGA) since 2011, the episode delves into golf's appeal to the affluent and its growth in Wisconsin.

Key Points:

This episode of Wealthiest, hosted by Alec Durand and Brian Lamborn, attorneys at Annex Wealth Management, focuses on the importance of "spring cleaning" for corporate records, particularly for small business owners. They emphasize the need to maintain and update corporate paperwork to ensure legal compliance, protect personal assets, and enhance business efficiency. Key points include:

In this episode of Wealthyist, host Brandon Lehman, director of Annex Private Client, interviews Charlie Dixon, president of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Milwaukee, to discuss the luxury watch industry, its evolution, and trends. The conversation covers the following key points:

In this episode of Wealthyist podcast, host Brandon Lehman, director of Annex Private Client, discusses estate planning with a focus on inherited gold and jewelry. He is joined by Charlie Dixon, president of Schwanke Cash and Jewelers. Key points include:

Rising Gold Prices: With gold at $3,400 per ounce (up over $1,000 from last year), estates with gold jewelry or items are increasingly valuable, prompting heirs to consider their options.

Estate Planning Challenges: Inheriting valuable items like gold, watches, or jewelry requires tracking for estate planning, unlike less valuable items that are simply passed down.

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In this episode of "Wealthyist," host Brian Lamborn, Senior Wealth Strategist at Annex Wealth Management, continues his discussion with Ryan Klund from the National Christian Foundation (NCF) about charitable giving, focusing on donor-advised funds (DAFs) and their role in wealth planning. 
The conversation contrasts DAFs with private foundations, particularly for successful business owners who value control. Ryan explains that private foundations offer significant control but come with administrative burdens and IRS rules, sometimes becoming overwhelming for heirs after the founder’s passing, leading some to roll assets into DAFs for simplicity. DAFs, as public charities, allow donors to dir...

In this episode of "Wealthyist," host Brian Lamborne interviews Ryan Klund from the National Christian Foundation (NCF). The two met at an Exit Planning Institute event and discovered overlapping interests between Annex Wealth Management, where Brian works, and NCF. Ryan introduces NCF as the largest Christian donor-advised fund, designed to assist Christians serious about generosity with creative giving solutions, though it also serves some non-Christian clients. He describes a donor-advised fund as a hybrid between a charitable checking account and a cost-effective alternative to a private foundation, likening it to a "container ship" where families can manage charitable giving...

This episode of Wealthyist, hosted by Brandon Lehman of Annex Wealth Management,is  based on his recent observations from eight weeks of work-related travel.

Central Question: "What’s Next After Retirement?"

The podcast "Wealthyist," hosted by Brandon Lehman, Director of Annex Private Client, addresses the common question posed at mergers and acquisitions conferences: "How do I even get started?" with regard to transitioning out of a business while ensuring a prosperous life post-exit. Lehman explores various exit strategies beyond the humorous option of death, such as selling to the next generation, employees, an outside party, a competitor, or pursuing a private equity route. He emphasizes the importance of starting succession planning early—even if the business is only a few years old—to build value independent of the owner’s direct...

In this episode of "Wealthyist", hosted by Brandon Lehman, Director of Annex Private Client at Annex Wealth Management, the focus is on the importance of diversification for business owners. Lehman emphasizes that many business owners invest all their time, energy, and resources into building their businesses, often neglecting to diversify their assets. This lack of diversification can leave them vulnerable to various risks, such as economic downturns, regulatory changes, or shifts in market conditions, which could render their business worthless or unsellable.

Key points from the podcast include: