Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth

Have you ever wondered why some small businesses thrive on LinkedIn while others struggle to get noticed?
In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Justin Vajko, founder of Dialog and a seasoned marketing strategist, to uncover the secrets behind social media success. Justin’s journey began with a childhood hobby of designing logos, which evolved into a career managing multi-million-dollar marketing initiatives before launching his own firm. Today, he helps founders amplify their pipeline, strengthen their personal brand, and position themselves as thought leaders with smart video and LinkedIn strategies.

Whether you’re a solopreneur or running a growing business, Justin’s insights will help you avoid marketing pitfalls, leverage your personal brand, and turn LinkedIn into a lead-generating machine.

🔑 Key Takeaways
→ Why personal branding matters more than company branding on LinkedIn.
 → The most common mistakes business owners make with social media—and how to fix them.
 → How to use online reviews and testimonials to build trust.
 → Why consistency in posting (even once a week) is better than perfection.
 → A simple framework for creating LinkedIn content that connects with your audience.
💬 Quotes from Justin Vajko
“Businesses die on the altar of ‘more people should know about me’—but not enough people do.”

“Your audience doesn’t buy the drill, they buy the hole in the wall.”
📌 Connect with Justin Vajko

• LinkedIn: Justin Vajko
  

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❓What if one small change each month could double your business revenue in two years?

In this episode, Gary sits down with Karl Maier, a seasoned CFO and business growth advisor who has helped five companies double their sales in just 24 months. As the founder of Abunden, Karl reveals the surprising reasons companies stall—and how to fix them with smart systems, cash flow forecasting, and people-focused strategies.
Forget the usual “cut costs” advice. Karl brings a fresh, empowering perspective for business owners looking to scale with sanity, strategy, and sustainability. From solving payroll chaos to securing the right kind of funding, this conversation is a must-listen for any entrepreneur ready to get out of the weeds and into growth mode.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
➤ Your biggest bottleneck may be you: Many owners unknowingly block growth by refusing to delegate or improve their management style.
➤ Cash flow is your oxygen: Karl shares his 12-week forecast method that prevents disasters before they happen.
➤ Build the system before scaling: Without repeatable processes, every new client feels like chaos.
➤ Your CPA isn’t your CFO: They serve different purposes—know the difference so nothing falls through the cracks.
➤ AI isn’t scary—it’s your new assistant: From forms to forecasting, Karl shows how simple AI tools can boost productivity and decision-making.
🗣️ “If we make one change each month—even just nine in a year—the impact is phenomenal. Sales don’t move at first, but six months in, something clicks. And by year two? You’ve doubled revenue.”
— Karl Maier, Founder of Abunden 
✅ Call to Action:

🎯 Want to find out how close you are to your first (or next) $10 million?
Take Karl’s free $10 Million Growth Map Quiz and start building your roadmap today at abunden.com.
📲 Connect with Karl on LinkedIn for more insights and real-world business tips.

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How are digital assets transforming the way entrepreneurs and business owners build wealth for the future?
In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, host Gary Heldt welcomes Jake Claver, Founder and CEO of Digital Family Office. Jake’s firm specializes in bringing the sophisticated financial tools once reserved for ultra-high-net-worth families to business owners and professionals. With a tech-forward approach, he helps clients minimize tax liabilities, optimize financial operations, and build sustainable wealth in today’s digital economy
.
Key Takeaways
➔ Digital assets are no longer fringe — family offices are using them as a serious wealth strategy.
➔ Institutional custody and $100M+ insurance give clients peace of mind in a volatile market.
➔ Smart portfolio allocation keeps crypto exposure low while still unlocking asymmetric upside.
➔ Tax planning and regulatory awareness are critical as laws tighten around digital currencies.
➔ Jake’s entrepreneurial journey proves that solving your own financial challenges can scale into solutions for others.
Call to Action
Discover how digital assets and family office strategies can help you grow and protect your wealth. Listen now to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth with Gary Heldt for insights that blend innovation, security, and long-term financial success.

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Are you running your money like a great business—or is your business running you?

This week, host Gary Heldt welcomes Greg Luken, founder of Luken Wealth Management and author of Unleash Your Financial Superpowers: How the First-Generation Wealthy Do It (and You Can Too). With nearly four decades in the industry, Greg shares how his unconventional path—from biology student and musician to math-based wealth advisor—shaped his fresh approach to financial management.

Greg reveals the three financial superpowers every entrepreneur and wealth builder needs: purpose, planning, and disciplined execution. He also introduces the two villains sabotaging financial success—FinPorn (financial pornography) and the Lever Denier. This conversation is packed with stories, mindset shifts, and actionable wisdom for first-generation wealth creators navigating the balance between business, family, and life.
Key Takeaways:
→ Purpose is your North Star—without clarity, wealth drifts.
→ A concrete, step-by-step plan saves mental energy and drives results.
→ Discipline to execute turns theory into lasting wealth.
→ Beware of “FinPorn”—financial noise that seduces with false certainty.
→ First-generation wealth requires mindset shifts: serve your business, don’t become its servant.
Profound Quote from Greg Luken:
“It’s not about intelligence. It’s not about having all the information. It’s about those simple disciplines—just being faithful and consistent with them.”
Learn More & Connect:
🌐 Visit Greg’s website: www.luken.pro
📖 Get the book: Unleash Your Financial Superpowers (available wherever books are sold)

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Are you a family business owner who thinks you can just snap your fingers and sell your business for top dollar when you’re ready to retire?
In this eye-opening episode, Gary Heldt sits down with Lowell Mora, President of Impact CFO, who brings 35 years of financial leadership experience to small and medium-sized businesses. Lowell shares his journey from Arthur Andersen to helping family-owned businesses prepare for successful exits. 

Lowell reveals the shocking statistic that nearly half of all family-owned businesses end up in bankruptcy within two years of the founder’s death due to lack of planning. Lowell discusses the critical differences between traditional accounting/tax services and strategic CFO work, emphasizing the importance of 3-5 year exit planning, building strong management teams, and viewing your business as an asset rather than just an income stream.
Key Takeaways

➤ Nearly half of all family-owned businesses go bankrupt within two years of the founder’s death due to lack of succession planning.

➤ Most family businesses suffer from dangerous customer concentration (often 70% with one client) and lack strong autonomous management teams – both major red flags for potential buyers.

➤ You need 3-5 years of strategic preparation before selling your business, including professionalizing accounting records, conducting margin analysis, and building operational systems.

➤ There’s a crucial difference between your tax-preparing CPA and a fractional CFO – one looks backward for tax compliance, the other looks forward for business growth and exit strategy.

➤ Business owners must shift their mindset from viewing their company as an income stream to seeing it as an asset that needs to be optimized for maximum value.
Notable Quotes from Lowell Mora
“I’ve never met a business owner who thought their business was worth less than what it was. Typically, they are amazed that there’s no real intrinsic value from an EBITDA perspective at a point in time – there’s work that needs to be done.”
“What happens if you get hit by a bus? Your spouse will be okay because you have life insurance, but you have nobody to run this business. All these employees you treat as family will be grieving you AND dealing with a business crisis.”
How to Reach Lowell Mora
Email: Lowell@impact-cfo.net
Phone: 847-212-4081
Website: https://www.impactcfo.net/

Visit his website for free consultation scheduling, 13-week cash flow samples, and additional resources for business owners planning their exit strategy.

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Are you playing checkers with your finances while the wealthy are playing chess?
In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, host Gary Heldt dives into a wealth-building conversation with Freddie Rappina, founder of Opta Financial, Chartered Financial Consultant, Accredited Investment Fiduciary™, and Retirement Income Planning Specialist. 

With a rare background as both a retired Fairfax County police officer and seasoned wealth advisor, Freddie explains why traditional “just save and invest” advice keeps most people stuck in the middle class. He reveals how strategic debt, real estate, and business investments can transform your financial future, why taxes can be leveraged to your advantage, and how to shift your mindset from one of scarcity to one of abundance. This conversation challenges conventional wisdom and provides a blueprint for building wealth like the affluent.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Mindset Matters: The wealthy approach money like a chess game—strategically leveraging resources—while most people are taught to play checkers.
2. Debt Can Be a Tool: When used to purchase income-producing assets, debt can enhance cash flow and reduce tax liabilities.
3. Assets Over Hours: Wealth isn’t built by working more; it’s built by owning assets that work for you.
4. The Tax Advantage: The tax code rewards those who invest in ways that benefit the economy, such as real estate and business ownership.
5. Saving Alone Isn’t Enough: Savings are essential, but they should be a stepping stone to investments that generate income and wealth.

Quotes from Freddie:
“Saving money by itself is not a good idea—it won’t make you wealthy.”

 “The middle class is being taught to play checkers while the wealthy are playing chess.”

How to Reach Freddie:
Visit OptaFinancial.com and click the top right corner to schedule a consultation.

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Are you running your business like it will last forever—or planning for when it won’t?
In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, host Gary Heldt welcomes Tom Dillon, founder of Frak Finance and a trusted expert in fractional CFO services, business valuation, and M&A strategy. With a background in investment banking and operational finance, Tom helps business owners avoid costly exit mistakes and drive growth with clear, actionable financial insights.
Whether you’re scaling, buying, or preparing to sell, Tom shares powerful lessons about what drives real business value—and how most owners miss it.

🧠 KEY TAKEAWAYS
➡️ Most CPAs aren’t trained to guide you through an exit or acquisition.
➡️ The less you’re involved in daily operations, the more valuable your business becomes.
➡️ Financial health planning should start five years before selling your company.
➡️ A fractional CFO isn’t your bookkeeper—they’re your strategic co-pilot.
➡️ Business value is built with systems, SOPs, and smart financial foresight.
💬 GREAT QUOTES
“The biggest myth? That your business isn’t sellable. You’d be shocked what it’s worth—if you plan right.” – Tom Dillon

“A fractional CFO looks through the windshield—bookkeepers only look in the rearview mirror.” – Tom Dillon
🔗 CALL TO ACTION
📩 Connect with Tom at www.frakfinance.com or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-dillon-cfa/
✅ Don’t forget to subscribe and share the podcast with business owners who need to start planning before it’s too late.

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What does it really take to scale your business?

Host Gary Heldt sits down with Cliff Goins IV, co-founder of Scaleup—a startup launched within Amazon to help diverse-owned businesses grow into large enterprises.

With deep experience in fintech, asset management, and private equity, Cliff brings an unfiltered, strategy-first perspective to business growth.
In this episode, Gary and Cliff unpack what holds businesses back from scaling—and it’s not just about capital. From delegation and systems to social capital and financial metrics, this is a masterclass in how to level up with purpose.
Key Takeaways:
➤ The leap from small to scalable often starts with learning how to delegate and trust others—even when they do things differently than you would.
➤ Many business owners get stuck doing tasks they can do, instead of focusing on what only they can do. Letting go is hard—but it’s the unlock to growth.
➤ Access to capital isn’t the only barrier. Knowing what kind of capital you need—and when—is just as important.
➤ Social capital can be more powerful than financial capital. The right introductions, advocates, and networks can change everything.
➤ Business owners don’t need to be CPAs to master their numbers. But they do need to understand their gross margin, cash flow, and forward-looking metrics.
Favorite Quotes:
“It’s not exactly how you’d do it—but it’s done. And you didn’t have to do it.”

“Scale is not just about size. It’s about structure, strategy, and sustainability.”
Resources:
🌐 CliffGoinsIV.com
📱 Connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook: @CliffGoinsIV

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Still following outdated investing advice?
This week, Gary is joined by Lane Kawaoka, author of The Wealth Elevator, real estate syndication leader, and founder of SimplePassiveCashflow.com.

With over 10,000 units under management, Lane shares how he went from civil engineer to full-time passive income expert—revealing why single-family rentals won’t scale, the importance of knowing your “floor” in the wealth journey, and how professionals can create cash flow without becoming landlords.

This episode is your wake-up call to start investing smarter—not harder.
🧠 KEY TAKEAWAYS
➡️ Not all rental properties are created equal—Class B wins for stability and cash flow.
➡️ Syndications offer true passive income with better scalability and legal protection.
➡️ Understand what “floor” you’re on in your wealth elevator—and don’t skip the foundation.
➡️ Accredited investors gain access to tax-smart, hands-off real estate deals.
➡️ Building a tribe of smart investors is just as important as building your portfolio.
💬 GREAT QUOTES
Lane Kawaoka: “You can’t take down a 200-unit apartment complex by yourself. Wealth is a team sport.”
 
🔗 CALL TO ACTION
Visit SimplePassiveCashflow.com to grab Lane’s free masterclass and download The Wealth Elevator.

📘 Send your book receipt to team@thewealthelevator.com for bonus content

Subscribe to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth for weekly expert insights.

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What if your biggest business blocker isn’t your bookkeeping—but your beliefs?

This week, host Gary Heldt welcomes Audrey Faust, expert CFO, neuro coach, and author of the upcoming book She Grows Rich. Audrey empowers women entrepreneurs to build thriving businesses by combining strategic financial guidance with transformative mindset coaching.

In this candid conversation, she shares how early money beliefs can sabotage success, why you should ditch the word “budget,” and what it really takes to grow from six to seven figures with clarity—not chaos.

➡️ 5 Key Takeaways:

→ Mindset First, Metrics Second: Audrey starts every client journey by clearing subconscious prosperity blockers—like the belief that rich people are greedy—that limit earning potential.

→ Blueprint Over Budget: Instead of restrictive budgets, Audrey co-creates a one-page financial blueprint that aligns with each business owner’s goals and personal definition of success.

→ Know Your Numbers: Successful entrepreneurs review financial statements monthly. Audrey teaches clients to read their profit & loss, balance sheet, and cash flow like a pro.

→ You Are Not Your Business: Audrey encourages shifting from “my business” to “the business” to create team inclusion and a CEO mindset that supports scaling.

→ Right People, Right Roles: A small change in team structure led one client to nearly double her revenue—from $1M to $2M—by freeing the CEO’s time to focus on growth.

💬 Quotes to Remember:

“Your subconscious brain will stop you from becoming rich if you believe wealth equals greed.” – Audrey Faust

 “You don’t need a budget. You need a blueprint that moves you forward with intention.” – Audrey Faust

🎁 Free Resource Mentioned:

Download Audrey’s Profit Accelerator Workbook — “12 Secrets from an Expert CFO for Women Entrepreneurs” — at AudreyFaustConsulting.com

📚 Upcoming Book:

She Grows Rich Book available now: https://www.amazon.com/She-Grows-Rich-Audrey-Faust-ebook/dp/B0DS66RPJM?&tag=us2025tag13-20

📣 Tune in to hear how Audrey helps business owners rewire their thinking, decode their finances, and double their income. Ready to redefine what’s possible?

📌 Listen to the full episode now

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