The Money Advantage Podcast

Want to grow and scale a profitable business? It’s just like growing a giant pumpkin! Back on the show after discussing Profit First, we have multi-best-selling author Mike Michalowicz to discuss some of newest books: The Pumpkin Plan, and Get Different. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it6WjNmBU7A I promise, a few minutes with this guy and you’ll have a whole new perspective on your business. So if you want to transform your business, find out how to hit your sweet spot where you’re serving clients you love, profitably, and marketing in a way that always gets results… tune in now! Table of contentsWelcoming Back Mike MichalowiczStand Out from the CrowdWhy You Should Profit FirstThe Mindset ShiftThe Pumpkin Plan1. Match the seed to the soil. 2. Pruning.Creating JobsA Special OfferAbout Mike Michalowicz Book A Strategy Call Welcoming Back Mike Michalowicz For the second time, we’re excited to welcome Mike Michalowicz of Profit First back to The Money Advantage. You can read more from his first interview here. We’re fans of Mike because he helps entreprreneurs bring profit into their business FIRST, so that they can help more people.  It’s like putting on your own oxygen mask first, so that you can help others—you’ll do more good for more people when you take care of yourself and your business.  Stand Out from the Crowd Mike recently asked his clients, “What is your biggest struggle right now?” And for most, their pain point was that they weren’t getting consistent quality in lead flow. This prompted Mike to consider what the root of the problem was.  He determined that industry “best practices,” after some time, become a prime example of what NOT to do. That’s because once they’re adopted throughout the whole industry, everyone's the same. And prospects are seeking someone who stands out—someone who they perceive as  uniquely positioned to help them with their problems.  [3:23] “Do you vaguely remember getting that first email that was like, ‘Hey friend’?” In Mike’s example, he recalls how excited he was to receive his first “hey friend” email. The initial feeling was one of excitement and belonging, until he opened it and realized that it was just marketing. The second time he got an email with that subject line, he was more cautious. And by the third, he stopped opening emails with that subject line altogether.  We’re sure you can relate.  [3:57] “That points to the power of habituation. Meaning when we, the prospect, see something, we very quickly learn to qualify it as relevant or irrelevant. And ‘hey friend’ is irrelevant. What I researched was how to break through the habituation. Best practices are the ‘hey friend’s’ of the world.” Why You Should Profit First [5:30] "Every time you...sell something, you have a responsibility to deliver up what you sold--that product or service. So the more we sell, the more responsibility we have. And as small business owners, that’s more and more weight on our shoulders. It starts to show the cracks in the foundation. We don’t have the deliverable systems in place, the sales aren’t profitable. So we’re putting more burden on the organization, without extracting health.” So instead of placing all focus on sales, new businesses should actually be focusing on profit (first). Once profits are in place, sales and efficiency can come next. Otherwise, having attention too divided can be dangerous.  The Mindset Shift [7:37] “Most entrepreneurs and business owners, like us, call ourselves entrepreneurs and business owners. I believe hose words have become bastardized. An entrepreneur is about hustle and grind, how bad do you want it, workaholism. And I think that’s a horrible thing to put out into the market. I think what we are about is, we’re a creator of jobs. Our job is to create a business that actually provides for people who want jobs. The way to make this mindset shift is to frame it with a different word.

Ever wonder if the rich and famous use life insurance? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWNYEK6iuio Life insurance is a private asset. That’s why you don’t hear a lot about it in the public arena. But wouldn’t you love to hear how life insurance is being used in the lives of people whose names you’d recognize? Today, we’re talking about some life insurance that’s as close to the spotlight as you get—coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh, agreed to have his compensation package include life insurance.  Today, we’re going to talk about one case where life insurance was used as executive deferred compensation that benefits both the employee and the employer. So, if you’d love to see how other people are using life insurance, join us for the conversation! Table of contentsWhy Don’t More People Talk About Life Insurance?Jim Harbaugh’s Life InsuranceBenefits for Harbaugh’s HeirsA Creative Way to Use Life InsuranceA Split-Dollar ArrangementOther Successful Uses of Permanent Life InsuranceBook A Strategy Call Why Don’t More People Talk About Life Insurance? Well, likely because it’s such a private asset. Whole life insurance shields policy owners from creditors, is not reported to the IRS, and it doesn’t have to be included on FAFSA forms. In fact, it can’t be used in lawsuits either.  The privacy afforded by whole life insurance is so valuable, and yet it also means that unless someone talks about their own experience, there’s no way to Google how much insurance someone has or doesn’t have.  Add to that the fact that many people still believe whole life insurance is only useful for death benefits or that it’s too expensive or complicated to understand. This combination of legal privacy and public misunderstanding is why many people (even professionals) rarely talk about life insurance in depth. But it’s not just for retirees or families. Whole life plays a major role in executive compensation packages, often structured to reduce tax exposure or retain top talent. By its nature, insurance is private, which means people who have it tend to be private about it. Now that someone in the spotlight—Jim Harbaugh—has publicly spoken about life insurance, it’s a little easier to put it into context for you.  His life insurance strategy is a perfect case study in how this under-the-radar financial tool gets used at the highest level. Jim Harbaugh’s Life Insurance Not only is Jim Harbaugh being paid $5 million a year as a coach, but the Jim Harbaugh life insurance package negotiated with Michigan adds another layer of long-term value. The university has loaned him $4 million to start a policy, with an additional $2 million a year for the following five years. This type of agreement is known as a split-dollar arrangement, which is commonly used in high-level executive contracts to offer long-term incentives and minimize tax liabilities. The ability to leverage his policy means he can take loans without incurring income tax. And as long as he keeps his policy in force, he does not have to repay the loan from the school until he passes on. A portion of the death benefit will pay it off.  In practical terms, this gives Harbaugh tax-advantaged access to cash throughout his life while still leaving a sizable benefit behind. This is what we call a win-win situation—where the school has a near-guarantee to receive their money back, they’ve secured Harbaugh as a coach, and Harbaugh gets the benefit of a policy.  Of course, there are stipulations to this contract. If Harbaugh leaves his coaching position before the contract is up, he will have to repay the premiums loaned to him upon termination or resignation.  This life insurance strategy isn’t unique to football coaches. It’s a smart approach for any executive seeking long-term financial security and flexibility without giving up liquidity today.  Benefits for Harbaugh’s Heirs Not only will Harbaugh benefit,

Need capital in your business, fast? Today, we’re talking about another way to get a capital infusion through business credit.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_qT49JxLlI The problem is that most business owners who want financing don’t get as much as they could, because they haven’t worked on the qualification process. That’s where CreditSuite can help. Ty Crandall has become a recognized authority in business credit building, business credit scoring, and business credit repair. So if you want to improve your fundability, build business credit, or get loans and credit lines… tune in now! Table of contentsBreaking into the Business Credit WorldCredit ReportingBusiness Credit vs. Consumer CreditThe Right Time to Build Business CreditBusiness Credit Cards vs. Consumer Credit CardsLeveraging DebtBuilding Business Credit Separate from Personal Credit1. Create Separation2. Get Your Credit In Line3. Find Companies that Report to Business Credit Reporting AgenciesFinding the "Sweet Spot"4. Start ImmediatelyBusiness Credit Gives You OpportunitiesTy Crandall’s OfferBook A Strategy Call Access to cash is critical for a business owner. While you don’t want to rely solely on credit for your business cash flow, you don’t want to be stuck in a spot where you need it and don’t have it. Breaking into the Business Credit World Ty Crandall's first company was a mortgage company that he quickly grew into a 7-figure company. And he rode that wave right up until the subprime mortgage crash, when things started to go south. While he thought he had access to plenty of capital, it turns out that wasn’t the case. After a few late payments, as he figured out how to navigate a failing business, the unexpected happened.  His credit card companies actually shrunk his credit limit down to what he owed, so that he could not spend anymore, which effectively tanked his credit score. Then they pulled the money out of his personal bank accounts, depleting his cash stores.  When something like this happens, other areas of your life can snowball—checks can bounce, and you can’t use credit to get out of the hole.  Ty worked overtime to get out of this hole, but he couldn’t find quality credit information anywhere. During this period, he learned about business credit, and realized that the information was nearly impossible to access. So he decided to compile information about business credit himself, and begin teaching people how to use it and why.  Credit Reporting Many people don’t understand the scope of credit reporting, because it happens in the background. Ty shares that a lesser known practice of consumer credit reporting is transparency from company to company. So if you have a late payment on one credit card, and not the others, the other companies will still know because it's in your report. Since all the companies have access to this information, your other credit providers can choose to lower your limits on that reporting alone.  That’s what happened to Ty when his credit imploded.  Business Credit vs. Consumer Credit Business credit is a “hidden gem,” even though it has been around longer than consumer credit reporting. If you’re a business owner, having business credit can help keep your business separate from your personal credit, so that you can have more privacy and safety... and avoid negative outcomes in uncertain financial times.  [11:20] “The main scores that are used are just based on how you paid in the past. That’s it! It’s just a mathematical interpretation of how you, on average, pay your bills. And I love that! How easy is credit, if we’re scored just based on: Do we pay on time? Do we pay late? Do we pay early? How late do we pay?” Consumer credit has many factors built into the score, and can take years of diligent monitoring to get to the top. But with business credit, you can build your score in as little as one month by getting a single account that stays in good standing ...

For Infinite Banking, the ideal policy is a specially designed, high cash value, dividend-paying, whole life insurance policy with a mutual company. But some mutual companies, including Ohio National, have recently demutualized. So what is whole life insurance demutualization, and what does it mean? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS9lWhrTpGU Today, we’re going to talk about demutualizing and how it affects Infinite Banking policies. You’ll learn: How a mutual company worksWhy you want a mutual company for Infinite BankingWhy life insurance companies demutualizeWhat to do if your life insurance company demutualizes Hopefully, we’ll cover the question on your mind. So, if you’d love to see what the future holds for Infinite Banking, join us for the conversation! Table of contentsOhio National DemutualizationWhat is Infinite Banking or Privatized Banking?What is a Mutual Life Insurance Company?How Do You Choose the Best Company?How Does Whole Life Insurance Demutualization Work?What's the Reason for Ohio National Demutualization?Book A Strategy Call Ohio National Demutualization On March 23rd, a very prominent insurance company, Ohio National, announced their demutualization and planned merge with a Canadian company. In anticipation of the questions, we want to debunk and provide some clarity about what it means to demutualize, and how it should or shouldn’t affect you. What is Infinite Banking or Privatized Banking? Conceptualized by Nelson Nash, Infinite Banking is a strategy of accessing the cash value of an insurance policy for leverage. It wasn’t a new function, however his ideas were new. And so, he wrote a book called Becoming Your Own Banker. By leveraging the cash value of an insurance policy, and borrowing against it rather than withdrawing from it, you can make your money do two jobs. A specially designed policy, for high cash value, with a mutual company, is the preferred method for privatized banking.  What is a Mutual Life Insurance Company? A mutual insurance company is a company in which policy owners are partial owners of the insurance company, rather than stockholders. As a partial owner, you are entitled to a portion of the company’s profits in the form of dividends. This also means that mutual companies are not beholden to investors. This allows them to operate on a much more conservative basis for long-term performance. A stock company, on the other hand, does not pay dividends to policy owners. Instead, investors pay dividends to stock owners, who may or may not have a policy. As a result, stock companies have to make short-term, risky decisions to appease stockholders and keep stocks up.  How Do You Choose the Best Company? In the world of life insurance, it can seem like there is an overwhelming amount of options. Do you choose mutual companies or stock companies, direct recognition companies or non-direct recognition companies, etc. How do you determine which are the best life insurance companies? First and foremost, we want to be clear that there are two main factors you should consider before anything else—the financial strength of the company, and the customer service. The former is important because you want a company that can meet its financial obligations.  Life insurance companies commit to paying every policyholder a death benefit. So are they making risky choices with their finances, or being more conservative? Mutual companies tend to think long-term and hold more reserves than stock companies. Even within mutual companies, it’s important to look at financial strength. Then, you want to look at customer service. How do various companies treat their policyholders? What are people saying? Because of the nature of permanent insurance, you’ll be working with a life insurance company for life. It’s important to know how their service is.  How Does Whole Life Insurance Demutualization Work? In the case of demutualization,

Inflation is in the news. Should you be concerned? What should you do to make sure you’re protected? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l43QGtzmKg In today’s conversation, we’ll talk about inflation, the consumer price index, and how to stay financially strong so you can build financial freedom. Join us below for the conversation! Table of contentsWhat is Inflation?The Consumer Price IndexCPI Has Risen More than ExpectedWill the Fed Raise Interest Rates?Financial Freedom in the Face of InflationResources and Links:Book A Strategy Call What is Inflation? The most common belief about inflation is that businesses raise their prices to make more profit. However, it’s much more than that. Inflation is linked directly to the money supply. And when the money supply increases, prices tend to increase in proportion.  The feeling of inflation is that your dollars do not go as far—that prices are increasing for items, without the volume rising. It feels as though your dollars are worth less.  Investopedia defines inflation as “the decline of purchasing power of a given currency over time. ... Inflation can be contrasted with deflation, which occurs when the purchasing power of money increases and prices decline.” If you look at the overall inflation from 1913 to now, there was an average increase of about 3% per year. While in reality some years inflated more or less, we can expect an upward trend in the future—give or take.  The Consumer Price Index If you’re wondering how inflation is calculated, it’s calculated through something called the Consumer Price Index. Investopedia defines this as “a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care. It is calculated by taking price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of goods and averaging them.” What’s interesting is that not all the items you may see inflate are included in this basket of goods. So just because there is a certain inflation rate doesn’t mean that you’ll experience that increase exactly with all products.  The way you may experience inflation is going to depend largely on your geographic location. There’s personal inflation, city inflation, state inflation, national inflation, and international inflation. That’s why your money might go farther (or not as far) when you travel to other countries.  You can see the CPI history for yourself on the Bureau of Labor Statistics site.  CPI Has Risen More than Expected At the time of writing, the CPI has increased by 0.6% since March, and is up 2.6% since last year. That’s more than projected and represents the highest year-over-year gain since 2018. With inflation rates increasing, there’s considerable conversation about how that’s going to impact Americans.  Most notably, gas prices have skyrocketed. In March, gas prices increased by 9.1%, and is up 22.5% from last year. These fluctuations have had a big influence on the CPI in an indirect way. The CPI doesn’t factor in gas or energy directly because of how volatile the prices can be. And more importantly, because gas and energy prices directly impact the prices of goods like groceries, because of what it takes to produce and transport them.  Will the Fed Raise Interest Rates? Despite inflation projections, the Fed has made a statement that they’re unlikely to hike interest rates in response—even with a strengthening economy. Instead, they will continue to commit $120 billion a month to bond purchases. We see it this way—if the Fed raised rates now, and something stopped the growth we’re seeing, they wouldn’t have any “bullets in their gun.” It would be more difficult to drop the rates if needed, than to continue riding the low rates for the time being.  Financial Freedom in the Face of Inflation How do you create more certainty and create time and money freedom for yourself, even in the face of inflation?

Love the idea of Infinite Banking, but want to see how it could apply to your business?  Looking for a way to improve your creditworthiness, financial stability, get great cash storage, capital reserves, to maximize your profitability in your business? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAqNmDGzhyM Today, we’re going to talk about how to boost your business's financial performance with Infinite Banking—and how to use Infinite Banking in your business. You’ll learn: How storing capital in an Infinite Banking policy serves your businessWhat you can do with the cash valueWho should own the policyWho can use the policyHow to best leverage this Swiss army knife of an asset in your business  So, if you’d love to see exactly how to take your business to the next level with Infinite Banking, join us for the conversation! Table of contentsBrand New to Infinite Banking?The Art of Long Term and Short Term ThinkingInfinite Banking for BusinessA Place to Warehouse CashHow Quickly Are Premiums Available to Use?How Can You Fund a Policy for Business?Who Should Own the “Infinite Banking” Policy?Buy-Sell AgreementsInfinite Banking for Business Can Keep You ProtectedBook A Strategy Call Brand New to Infinite Banking? Infinite Banking is a concept originated by Nelson Nash, who realized that he could leverage his whole life insurance in his own business. This prompted him to write his immensely popular book, Becoming Your Own Banker.  Whole life insurance accumulates a cash value that earns dividends, and can multiply wealth by using policy loans to create cash-flowing investments. In fact, policy loans can be used for whatever you want (however, investments help you generate more cash flow).  The Art of Long Term and Short Term Thinking As Nelson Nash has said, there’s an art to marrying long-term and short-term thinking together. Too often, people choose one or the other—or they mistake long-term thinking for five-year thinking. True long-term thinking spans decades, or even generations. And it takes long-term thinking to make Infinite Banking strategies work, because whole life insurance is a long-term asset. You won't get rich overnight.  However, you must also have the foresight to see the short-term actions necessary to take the leap and set yourself up to benefit from Infinite Banking. Establishing good savings habits, making wise short-term decisions, and having a good business trajectory are all essential short-term actions.  You’ll make the best short-term decisions in your business when you think about the long-term impact. The more range you have in your “vision,” the better choices you’ll make today. It’s important as you move into business that you learn how to balance these short- and long-term trajectories.  Infinite Banking for Business A Place to Warehouse Cash Where are you going to store your capital? This is a question that any good business ought to ask—because if you’re making a profit, it has to go somewhere. And ideally, you also want that money to be earning while it’s in storage. While bank accounts and money markets offer a place to store money, they earn next to nothing. Whole life insurance, on the other hand, offers an alternative that far outpaces those accounts.  In addition, whole life insurance offers growth without risk. It’s non-correlated to the stock market and therefore is not subject to the same whims of the market.  You can use your cash value in times where profits are lean, or to make big-ticket purchases that will help expand your business. Your cash value can also help you secure financing for projects that the bank might find risky, yet may help you increase revenue. It can also protect your privacy from both creditors and the IRS.  How Quickly Are Premiums Available to Use? When you pay your first premium, your cash value is available for a policy loan within 30 days. The amount of your premium, however, can differ.

In part 1, we started discussing the top questions about Infinite Banking that we hear all the time. This week, we’re finishing up the conversation, so that you can make a decision about Infinite Banking with confidence.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNKGjD5eEIg Hopefully, we’ll cover the question on your mind. (And if we don’t, check out Part 1 of this conversation to see if we’ve covered it there.) So, if you want to clear up your doubts, find out exactly what to do about your concerns, and know what to do next, join us for the conversation! Table of contentsStrategy vs. ProductYour Top Questions About Infinite Banking, Answered1. How do I compare illustrations effectively?2. Can’t I get better growth with an IUL?3. Can I use my home equity instead of life insurance?4. Do I make enough money to have or benefit from insurance?5. Is it the right time if I’m in a big personal or business transition?6. Am I too old for life insurance?7. What if I’m not in perfect health?8. I have stores of cash now, what if I don’t want to commit to ongoing funding?9. What happens if I become unable to pay my premiums?10. How can I trust this if no one I know is doing Infinite Banking?Book A Strategy Call Strategy vs. Product Before we begin our conversation, it’s important to note the difference between Infinite Banking as a concept, and whole life insurance as a product. As a product, insurance offers many benefits that we advocate for--growth, liquidity, asset protection, and more.  On the other hand, Infinite Banking refers to how you use your products. Insurance, on its own, isn’t “magic.” However, the way you design your policy, combined with the strategies you use to leverage that cash value, is what makes up Infinite Banking.  Now that you have that framework, let’s get into round two of your top questions about infinite banking. Your Top Questions About Infinite Banking, Answered 1. How do I compare illustrations effectively? When comparing illustrations between companies, it’s important to note that illustrations are projections, and are non-guaranteed. Although illustrations often have a guaranteed portion, you can expect dividends to be paid. Once dividends are paid, your entire projected illustration will change, as will projected dividends.  You can use illustrations as a good guideline, although so much will change from year to year, and the difference between companies will not be much different in the long run. If you’re trying to choose between a direct or non-direct recognition company, for example, the long-term differences are not that significant. The most important decision you can make is the decision to get a policy today, for the best results possible. Differences between premiums and face amounts will be more significant in your decision-making process than which company you go with.  2. Can’t I get better growth with an IUL? You could, potentially, get better growth in an IUL. However, IUL illustrations often leave a lot unsaid. For starters, there’s an increasing term insurance cost within the policy (rather than a level cost) that your growth will have to outpace. On another hand, IULs have fewer guarantees and more risk involved. People often misunderstand the language used in IUL contracts as well--people are told that they cannot lose money, so they buy policies with a false sense of security. And while you cannot lose money from the stock market component, you can lose cash value from the increased cost of your insurance, which correlates to the market performance. Everything in insurance has a trade-off, including the “market-returns” of an IUL. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide the purpose of your money, as we mentioned in Part 1. With an IUL, you take on the risk. With whole life, the company assumes the risk. If you are seeking to save and grow money, whole life insurance is likely the better vehicle.  3.

Are you looking for a formula to grow your business? Cesar Quintero, Certified EOS Implementer and visionary of The Profit Recipe is here to help! So, if want to figure out how to tap into your purpose, get traction, and solidify a healthy team… tune in below!  Table of contentsUnique AbilitiesThe Power of VulnerabilityThe E-volution FlywheelThe Ikigai ConceptEOS and The Profit RecipeContact Cesar QuinteroAbout Cesar QuinteroBook A Strategy Call Is there a formula for business growth? As it turns out, there just might be, and Cesar Quintero holds a key to entrepreneurial success. Now, he's sharing his lessons about entrepreneurship with us. We're sharing the highlights of our conversation below. Unique Abilities Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach teaches about unique abilities--the skills that we all inherently possess and are uniquely positioned to do. When we work from these abilities, we have more energy and create more value than when we do things we are not uniquely designed to do. And this idea is the foundation of Cesar's work with entrepreneurs. [8:15] “Everybody says that entrepreneurs can change the world, and businesses can change the world—and I’m a true capitalist. I really feel that if we can generate value we can change the world... I truly believe that only happens if the entrepreneur... really leverages their unique ability.” When you take care of your team, and have them working in their unique abilities, they can take care of clients and create more value. So focus on creating a team that thrives first—so your customers thrive naturally as a result.  The Power of Vulnerability Building a team of entrepreneurs who are working in their unique abilities takes vulnerability. It’s not always easy, but it fosters trust and growth. Opening up your numbers to your team, for example, takes massive vulnerability. However, the amazing result is that people take ownership of those numbers—they’re contributing, and that’s empowering.  [12:39] “I started my business at 24, and most people around me were older than me. Every room I went to... I was always the youngest guy there. I had to prove something to people, I think, in my mind I always had to prove that I knew, and I was right. And I think letting down my ego helped me become a better leader and a better businessman.” The E-volution Flywheel Cesar shares one concept behind his upcoming book, and the foundation of his business, the E-volution Flywheel.  [15:39] “After hundreds of different entrepreneurs that I helped, I saw a pattern... There’s five stages. The important thing with this cycle, is that true entrepreneurs and true leaders and people, we don’t go through this on a sequential aspect.” The stages of Cesar’s model are: Startup—You’re seeing opportunities in the marketplace. Leader by Design—Understanding what you can and cannot do. Team by Design—Delegating what you cannot or will not do to internal and external teams. Biz by Design—Create systems for your business to work without you, so you can continue to scale and create value.  Life by Design--Living life on your own terms. While these stages can be happening at once, Cesar has found that moving sequentially helps you get unstuck. So if you’re stuck designing your team, you need to look at the next stage of the cycle—Biz by Design—to get some clarity and get unstuck, and on and on. So rather than a linear cycle, the E-volution Flywheel deals with the stages on a random and cyclical basis. The Ikigai Concept In this Venn Diagram of sorts, Cesar shares with us the components of the Ikigai Concept. The heart symbolizes purpose. The star is for things you’re great at. The bottom represents things that make you money. Finally, the globe represents things that benefit the entire world. The intersections of these traits are what society often says should be your hobbies, profession, vocation and mission.

Are you considering Infinite Banking, but you aren’t sure yet if it’s a good fit for you, and you’d rather figure it out before investing time into a personal conversation with an advisor? Look, your concerns are absolutely valid!  But let’s let those questions propel you to action, not indecision. Today, we're answering the top questions about Infinite Banking that we have heard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVZbt1tog3w Hopefully, we’ll cover the question on your mind. So, if you’d love to clear up your doubts, find out exactly what to do about your concerns, and know what to do next, join us for the conversation below! Table of contentsWhat is Infinite Banking?Your Top Questions About Infinite Banking, Answered1. What if I don’t like whole life insurance?2. What if I don’t need insurance?3. Can’t I get better returns in the stock market?4. Will I lose access to some of my cash at the beginning?5. I already have a policy; is it a good one?6. I’ve heard many people talk about the "ideal" policy design—how do I know if I have that?7. Am I overpaying for insurance?The Reason for Infinite BankingBook A Strategy Call What is Infinite Banking? Infinite Banking is a strategy of using a financial product in a way that accelerates growth. We use specially designed, high cash value life insurance with mutual companies that pays dividends. These policies grow with guaranteed interest, and non-guaranteed dividends (although dividends are highly anticipated and have a good track record of being paid).  This means that you have access to cash that is growing, liquid, and will not drop in value. Infinite banking is often misunderstood, yet it’s a strategy that has been used for centuries by our country’s wealthiest people as a means to build and protect wealth. If you have questions about Infinite Banking, we highly recommend checking out this post to get some of your top questions about infinite banking answered.  Your Top Questions About Infinite Banking, Answered 1. What if I don’t like whole life insurance? When this comes up in conversation, we often come back with the question, “Compared to what?” In reality, life insurance is hard to compare to other assets because it is fundamentally different from many assets. Rather than getting hung up on the product itself, we encourage you to take a different route. When we meet with people, one of the first things we ask them to consider is the purpose of their money. If you’re looking for growth, availability, investment capital, etc—those are purposes.  When you can define what you want to do with your money, then you can determine the best products to use. Despite what you’ve been told, insurance may be the ideal asset for the goals you want to accomplish. It may not. However, you cannot judge it simply based on whether you like it—you have to see it as a means to an end.  2. What if I don’t need insurance? We hear this question often, for many reasons. Some people view insurance as something to protect their children. Others view insurance as unnecessary because they have enough money to “self-insure.”  We think the better question to ask is, “Do you want everything that comes with insurance?” Insurance companies will never sell you more insurance than you “need,” so we prefer to look at the benefits. Beyond the living benefits, insurance protects your estate and can help ease unexpected costs (including loss of income). Insurance helps your money go further and your assets last longer. 3. Can’t I get better returns in the stock market? Let’s start with this: life insurance is not an investment. When we compare insurance to investments, we’re setting it up for failure. We prefer to look at cash value insurance as an alternative to savings accounts. Investments have risk involved, and therefore the potential for different returns. Savings, on the other hand, provide certainty and liquidity.

How are your New Year’s resolutions going? We’re almost three months into 2021, and it’s a great time to take an inventory of how you’re doing. This one simple morning routine I learned from Dan Sullivan has had a greater impact on my year than anything else. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EahEyM9wj-Q Today, we’ll talk about that one little idea that has the power to change everything for you. So, if you want to find out how to master your emotions, step into confidence, and get more done… tune in below! Table of contentsA Daily Morning Routine1. What’s my biggest danger for today?2. What is my biggest opportunity for today?3. What strengths do I have that I can reinforce today?Setting Your Foundation with a Morning RoutineBook A Strategy Call Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach is an inspiration to entrepreneurs everywhere, which is why I always appreciate his words of wisdom. Dan calls himself a simplifier—he takes processes and makes them even simpler. When his email came across my inbox, I knew I had to share it with you.  A Daily Morning Routine If you’re looking to be even more successful, and find even more inspiration in your day, creating good habits is a great place to start. That’s why Dan Sullivan proposes his specific morning routine—one that has been a game-changer for him personally.  Having morning routines and habits can keep you grounded in an otherwise uncertain world, and it can also keep you on track with your goals. It starts with questions, which help to keep you focused on your goals. Here are the three things you should ask yourself to stay on a trajectory for success: 1. What’s my biggest danger for today? Or, "What am I afraid of?" At the heart of this question is structure. What you’re really doing is assessing your fears. What are you afraid of not doing, and how will that impact your success? Asking this question as a part of your morning routine sets you up to take action in the face of fear. And it keeps your fear from growing, like when you put off a project and it snowballs, progressively becomes more overwhelming.  This question, consequently, can also help you filter out tasks that aren’t meant for you. If you’re dreading a task, and you’re dreading the consequences of not doing it, it’s likely a task you should delegate. You’re still taking action by delegating, and it gives you more freedom to do what you want to do. 2. What is my biggest opportunity for today? This is your chance to examine what you’re looking forward to in your day. If you follow these opportunities that you’re excited about, and take action, you can put yourself further ahead. In the first question, we addressed the importance of handling fear and delegating tasks. Following what energizes you is another great way to identify how you should fill your day, and what tasks you should delegate. Good tasks, activities, or opportunities are ones that will leave you feeling as energized as when you started (if not more energized). 3. What strengths do I have that I can reinforce today? The third question in this morning routine is about building confidence. It’s about taking action so that you can practice your strengths, hone them, and come out on the other side more confident and capable. There’s no better way to celebrate your strengths than by using them! If you continually work on your strengths, you allow them to develop and blossom. If you don’t use them, they atrophy. You likely know that it feels great to use your strengths, so don’t be afraid to use them often. This will help you feel more confident and step into your full potential. It also helps you be as energized as possible.  Setting Your Foundation with a Morning Routine The world is so overwhelming right now, and if you're an entrepreneur, your mind is probably being pulled in a million directions. This exercise helps you simplify and focus on what you can do, today.