Category: Finance

The Hidden World of the U.S. Mint with David J. Ryder (Ep. 113)

The Hidden World of the U.S. Mint with David J. Ryder (Ep. 113)

Ever wondered about the journey of the coins in your pocket?

This week on The Truth About Wealth, John and Michael Parise from Copper Beech Financial Group dive into this fascinating world with David J. Ryder, who served as the U.S. Mint Director under two different presidents. 

From his early days on Wall Street to modernizing the U.S. Mint, David shares valuable insights into the world of coinage and physical currency.

Key topics covered in the episode include:

  • David’s unique career path and the rigorous process for becoming Mint Director
  • An inside look at the operations of the self-funded U.S. Mint, which contributed over $550 million to the general fund in David’s last year
  • David’s contributions to coin collecting and educational initiatives for the youth
  • The enduring value of physical currency despite digital advancements
  • An exclusive discount code for purchasing coins on GovMint.com
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with David J. Ryder:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest: 

David J. Ryder, the 34th and 39th Director of the U.S. Mint. Starting on Wall Street and joining Ronald Reagan’s campaign, David has served under two presidential administrations. Under his leadership, the self-funded Mint contributed over $550 million to the U.S. general fund and launched innovative programs that energized coin collectors of all ages. In addition to being a passionate educator and creator of programs targeting young coin collectors, David remains a vocal advocate for the importance of physical currency in our digital age.

Taking The Plunge To Build Generational Wealth — The Next Phase of Copper Beech with Chris Ruffino (Ep. 112)

Taking The Plunge To Build Generational Wealth — The Next Phase of Copper Beech with Chris Ruffino (Ep. 112)

What if your financial advisor cared about the next three generations of your family?

In this episode, Copper Beech’s newest advisor, Chris Ruffino, sits down with hosts John and Michael Parise to answer this pivotal question. Together, they illuminate the multidimensional, generational approach that Copper Beech takes towards financial planning.

John, Michael, and Chris discuss:

  • The Copper Beech Approach: A holistic focus on all aspects of financial planning
  • What you should know about Copper Beech Next Gen and the company’s approach to extending its services to a broader demographic
  • How Copper Beech aims for long-term relationships to adjust and optimize their client’s financial strategies as their life evolves
  • How thoroughness and attention to detail sets the firm apart from other financial advisors
  • Ways the company plans to expand its holistic planning approach to families of all shapes and sizes, recognizing the universal need for such services
  • And more!

Connect with Chris Ruffino:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest: 

Chris Ruffino brings over two decades of financial expertise and a personalized, holistic approach to financial planning. Chris values family, long-term client relationships, and educating clients for generational impact. Starting at Merrill Lynch in 2003, Chris honed his client-centric approach at Lockwood Advisors and Legg Mason, emphasizing aligned interests and disciplined investing. His insights promise valuable takeaways for anyone looking to improve their financial future.

Wine Not Three-Peat? Bordeaux Unveiled with the Return of Tim O’Rourke (Ep. 111)

Wine Not Three-Peat? Bordeaux Unveiled with the Return of Tim O’Rourke (Ep. 111)

Just as true wealth is more than money, the beauty of Bordeaux goes beyond the bottle. 

In this episode, John and Michael Parise welcome back guest Tim O’Rourke (for the third time!) to navigate the captivating world of Bordeaux wines. Listen in as they dive into the history, production, and unique characteristics that make Bordeaux wines stand out on the global stage.

John, Michael, and Tim discuss:

  • The Bordeaux region’s history and its incredible 7,000 wineries
  • The distinction between the left and right bank wines and their unique soil compositions
  • Factors that contribute to Bordeaux’s fame: sun exposure, soil, and climate
  • Differences between Bordeaux and Californian winemaking, focusing on drip farming
  • Exclusive wine-tasting experiences the team at Copper Beech offers to their clients
  • Recommendations for beginners looking to explore Bordeaux wines
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Tim O’Rourke:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest:

Tim O’Rourke established FinServ Consulting & Recruiting with the mission to be an advocates for the retail investment services industry.

Tim is an industry expert in the recruiting arena, including regulatory compliance, the transition process, business structures, various related contracts, negotiating financial packages, and the evaluation of independent broker-dealers and investment advisory custodians. He was formerly Senior Vice President of FSC Securities Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia, and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. in St. Petersburg, Florida, with prior retail sales experience for a total of over 27 years of industry experience.

Preserving Your Family History And Creating A Lasting Legacy (Ep. 110)

Preserving Your Family History And Creating A Lasting Legacy (Ep. 110)

Do your kids and grandkids know your family’s legacy? 

Make sure they do by creating a video memoir! 🎥

In this episode, John and Michael Parise shed light on the importance of transferring values when transferring wealth to create a lasting legacy. 

They go over some of the questions they ask the families they work with when creating video memoirs to pass down their values to future generations while sharing a case study and talking about how modern technology makes capturing these values and family moments on video more convenient.

John and Michael discuss:

  • The importance of transferring values when transferring wealth to create a lasting legacy
  • Videos as a tool to preserve family history and values
  • The convenience modern technology provides for capturing family moments
  • Why it’s important to preserve family stories and values for future generations
  • A case study: How they helped a family create a video memoir
  • The importance of capturing stories from multiple generations
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

Navigating Blended Families and Estate Taxes: A Case Study Discussion (Ep. 109)

Navigating Blended Families and Estate Taxes: A Case Study Discussion (Ep. 109)

Are you struggling with complex estate planning situations?

In this episode, John and Michael Parise uncover two case studies, one that worked and one that didn’t. 

Throughout the two case studies, Michael explains his role in the estate planning process and the challenges of working with a business owner with significant estate tax exposure. Adding to the conversation, John emphasizes the importance of balancing fairness and equality when dealing with multiple beneficiaries in estate planning.

John and Michael discuss:

  • The challenges of working with a business owner with significant estate tax exposure and a lack of liquidity to pay for it
  • Why it’s important to balance fairness and equality when dealing with multiple beneficiaries in estate planning
  • The different challenges that can arise when estate planning with business owners and beneficiaries across multiple generations
  • How their impact on families’ financial planning is compounded through generations
  • And more!

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

The Role of Rare Tangible Assets in a Diversified Portfolio for Generational Wealth with Geoff Anandappa (Ep. 108)

The Role of Rare Tangible Assets in a Diversified Portfolio for Generational Wealth with Geoff Anandappa (Ep. 108)

If you’re looking to diversify your portfolio and try to hedge some of the global inflation investors are seeing today, you might want to consider adding rare tangible assets or collectibles to your portfolio.

In this episode, John and Michael Parise speak with Geoff Anandappa, a specialist in rare tangible assets and the founder of Rare Tangible Assets Ltd., about investing in rare assets such as coins, art, stamps, and other collectibles. 

Geoff starts with his background in the specialty before diving into how investors can get into the rare tangible asset market and why they’re a good long-term investment choice for holding onto and growing generational wealth, even when the stock market goes awry.

Geoff discusses:

  • His background and how he got into rare tangible assets
  • How investors are using rare tangible assets to hedge the current worldwide inflation issue
  • The size of the market for rare asset collectors and investors
  • How big of a risk forgeries are, and what investors can do to avoid them
  • New collectibles emerging in the marketplace
  • And more!

Connect with Geoff Anandappa:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest: 

Geoff Anandappa is a rare asset consultant and the founder of Rare Tangible Assets Ltd. With a background in stamp collecting, Geoff’s career in the industry began in 2005 when he joined Stanley Gibbons, the world’s oldest stamp dealer, to establish their investment department. Over 13 years, he traveled internationally, speaking at investment conferences and bringing in high-net-worth clients interested in rare stamps, coins, art, and first-edition books as alternative investments.

In 2018, Geoff launched his own consultancy firm, Rare Tangible Assets Limited, where he serves as a trusted advisor. As a consultant, Geoff assists clients in building investment portfolios in a diverse range of tangible assets, guiding starting collections, portfolio development, and exit strategies. With his extensive expertise and deep understanding of the market, Geoff offers professional consulting for individuals seeking to incorporate rare tangible assets into their investment strategies.

Helping Talent Find You with Chris Czarnik — Part 2 (Ep. 107)

Helping Talent Find You with Chris Czarnik — Part 2 (Ep. 107)

So you made your job posting findable and found your key talent…

How to ensure they stay with your company?

In this episode, Michael Parise and Chris Czarnik briefly recap part one of this two-part miniseries focused on making job postings more findable. This time, they are back to unveil tips and tricks around employee retention. 

Listen in and discover how to make sure the new talent you hire stays at your company, beginning with why workers leave companies and the value of training and mentorship. 

Chris discusses:

  • Reasons people leave organizations
  • Why growth is so important for driven employees
  • How incorporating problem-solving in mentorship programs can help remote workers grow professionally
  • How organizations can build a promotional track for new-hired employees
  • The benefits of knowing your employee’s personality type 
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Chris Czarnik:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest:

Chris Czarnik is an award-winning national career search expert with more than 12 years of job search training and motivational speaking experience. He created and refined the innovative approach to job search, known as The Human Search Engine® by working with thousands of job seekers over more than a decade. Chris is a leading adjunct career search instructor for the 5th largest research university in the nation, as well as many colleges and universities across the country. Chris’ process was introduced to the 113th United States Congress as a national job search and Workforce Development model. Chris currently works with Workforce Development centers across the nation to reform the way people find new jobs.

Helping Talent Find You with Chris Czarnik — Part 1 (Ep. 106)

Helping Talent Find You with Chris Czarnik — Part 1 (Ep. 106)

Do you ever wonder why it is so difficult to find experienced candidates?

In this episode, Michael Parise speaks with Chris Czarnik about why businesses are struggling to find recruitment in the current job market. Chris covers the impact of the experience and generational gap in the workforce while explaining how companies can find more talent by using techniques seen in marketing.

Chris discusses:

  • How he got into recruiting talent
  • Why businesses are having a difficult time recruiting new talent
  • The experience gap and reduced number of available workers in the younger generations
  • The difference between being unable and unwilling to work
  • How to find more prospective employees
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Chris Czarnik:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest:

Chris Czarnik is an award-winning national career search expert with more than 12 years of job search training and motivational speaking experience. He created and refined the innovative approach to job search, known as The Human Search Engine® by working with thousands of job seekers over more than a decade. Chris is a leading adjunct career search instructor for the 5th largest research university in the nation, as well as many colleges and universities across the country. Chris’ process was introduced to the 113th United States Congress as a national job search and Workforce Development model. Chris currently works with Workforce Development centers across the nation to reform the way people find new jobs.

Private Equity Investing 101 — Part 2 with Christopher Graham (Ep.105)

Private Equity Investing 101 — Part 2 with Christopher Graham (Ep.105)

Ready to continue learning about private equity investing?

Welcome back! 

In this episode, John and Michael Parise are joined by returning guest Christopher Graham, the founder and CEO of Crown Capital Investments. 

The last conversation covered how private equity works, what investors should look at, and how it’s structured. 

This time, Christopher continues the lesson, covering what sort of questions investors should ask fund managers, his evaluation process, and how he’s continuing to improve his fund’s processes.

Christopher discusses:

  • What type of questions investors should ask fund managers and advisors about recommendations they receive in the private equity space
  • How he evaluates companies to decide if they’re a good investment
  • How far AI has gotten in the industry, and where it has room to improve
  • The benefits of private credit versus private equity
  • How much risk he would put into a private placement life insurance (PPLI) investment strategy
  • What he’s doing to continue to improve his fund
  • And more!

Resources

Connect with Christopher Graham:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest: 

Christopher Graham founded Crown Capital in 2014. He leads investment and capital-raising activities and provides strategic and operational support to management teams across the portfolio. 

Prior to Crown, he founded The Private Client Law Group, which focused on tax, business, and asset protection for ultra-high-net-worth family offices. As a Family Office Advisor, Chris advised and directed billions of dollars in the alternative investments space globally. Chris was named to the Georgia Super Lawyers Listing for over a decade and rated as a Five Star Wealth Manager. 

Chris holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Michigan and a JD from Wake Forest University. He is a member of the American Mensa IQ Society, Beta Alpha Psi national honor accounting society, and the Georgia and North Carolina state bars.

Private Equity Investing 101 — Part 1 with Christopher Graham (Ep. 104)

Private Equity Investing 101 — Part 1 with Christopher Graham (Ep. 104)

It may be tempting to get into the world of private equity investing, but it’s important to get the basics under your belt first.

In this episode, John and Michael Parise bring on Christopher Graham, the founder, CEO, and CIO of Crown Capital Investments, to teach you how private equity works, what investors should look at, and how it’s structured.

Chris discusses:

  • How to access the private equity and alternative investment world
  • His investment thesis and why he doesn’t look at venture capital
  • The risk and reward components of private investments
  • Whether or not accredited investor standard regulations should be changed (making it more accessible to the average investor)
  • The structures of SPAC investments
  • The difference between typical private equity funds and the Berkshire model
  • And more!

Connect with Christopher Graham:

Connect with John and Michael Parise:

About Our Guest: 

Christopher Graham founded Crown Capital in 2014. He leads investment and capital-raising activities and provides strategic and operational support to management teams across the portfolio. 

Prior to Crown, he founded The Private Client Law Group, which focused on tax, business, and asset protection for ultra-high-net-worth family offices. As a Family Office Advisor, Chris advised and directed billions of dollars in the alternative investments space globally. Chris was named to the Georgia Super Lawyers Listing for over a decade and rated as a Five Star Wealth Manager. 

Chris holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Michigan and a JD from Wake Forest University. He is a member of the American Mensa IQ Society, Beta Alpha Psi national honor accounting society, and the Georgia and North Carolina state bars.