Capitalize Your Fridays!

Hosted by ALTIUS Financial Inc's Michael Williams CFP® & Taylor McGowen CFP®

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121

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

Every other Friday Michael Williams & Taylor McGowen will share financial insight as two CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ with different generational perspectives. Maybe we'll even bring in a guest speaker too! Provided to you by ALTIUS Financial Inc.

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60 recent

May 22, 202642 min

Should I Pay for AI?

AI is no longer just a futuristic tech tool—it’s becoming part of everyday decision-making, productivity, and even financial organization. In this episode, Mike and Taylor break down whether paying for AI is actually worth it, comparing free and paid versions of popular tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and open-source-style bots.They also discuss what you’re really paying for when you upgrade, from stronger reasoning and file analysis to privacy controls and higher usage limits. Plus, they explain how AI pricing works, including flat-fee subscriptions versus usage-based token fees, and how to avoid surprise costs when using AI casually or professionally.

May 8, 20261 hr 34 min

Hard Money, Soft Dollars with Jim Brown

We spend, save, and invest money every day, but very few people stop to ask what money actually is, where it comes from, or how changes in the monetary system affect long-term wealth.In this episode of Capitalize Your Fridays, Mike sits down with Jim Brown, better known as Hard Money Jim, to discuss money creation, inflation, sovereign debt, precious metals, Bitcoin, and the practical challenge of preserving purchasing power in an uncertain financial world. This is not a prediction show or a "buy gold" pitch, it's a conversation about understanding the monetary forces that quietly shape every financial plan.One minor correction: In the interview, Jim slightly misspoke. At 33:28, he referred to the chapters in his book called “Good Money Creation” and “Bad Money Creation.” However, in the interview, he said “good money inflation” and “bad money inflation.” So forgive that verbal faux pas.

April 28, 202629 min

The Iran War & Your Portfolio

In this episode, Mike and Taylor examine how conflict with Iran may affect markets — not through headline fear, but through the economic channels that matter most: oil, inflation, interest rates, and portfolio resilience. They discuss why geopolitical shocks require thoughtful analysis rather than reactive investing, and how diversification, sector exposure, and disciplined planning can help investors navigate uncertainty. This conversation offers perspective on separating emotional noise from economic reality and staying focused on long-term strategy when headlines feel unsettling.

April 10, 202630 min

A Beautiful Account

Tune in to hear updates on the new Trump accounts and insights on strategies for saving for the next generation.

March 20, 202631 min

Come Hell or High Water Mark

In this episode, Taylor and Mike explore why a small pullback can feel so painful (even when your portfolio is still up overall) through the lens of high water marks and investor psychology. They break down how anchoring, loss aversion, and recency bias lead us to fixate on peak values, and why the idea of “average returns” often misleads investors into expecting smooth, predictable growth. Using examples from the S&P 500, gold, and Bitcoin, they highlight how normal volatility can feel like failure when expectations are off, and share practical ways to stay grounded: focusing on your long-term plan instead of recent highs, understanding the nature of the assets you own, and recognizing that successful investing isn’t about avoiding volatility, but being prepared for it.

March 6, 202638 min

Untangling Tax Confusion

Why does a system designed to collect revenue require tens of thousands of pages, specialized software, and entire professions just to interpret it?In this episode, Michael and Taylor unpack why the U.S. tax code feels so difficult to understand — and why that confusion may not be accidental. From arbitrary rules and income “cliffs” to behavior-shaping credits and deductions, we explore how the tax code has evolved from a revenue tool into something far more complicated. Along the way, we share real client stories that reveal how complexity affects everyday decisions — sometimes in surprising and costly ways. If you’ve ever wondered why taxes feel harder than they should, this episode connects the dots.

February 20, 202642 min

Investing: Beyond the Basics

In this episode of Capitalize Your Fridays, Taylor Dennis and Mike Williams break down investing beyond surface-level market talk, focusing on how investing actually works—from ownership vs. lending to investment “packaging” and tax-efficient account strategies. They explain why understanding what you own, where it’s held, and how it aligns with your goals can matter more than chasing returns. The conversation also introduces the “Three Ts” of investing—Time, Temperament, and Trust—and how they shape long-term success. Whether you’re a client or just exploring wealth-building strategies, this episode offers a clear framework for thinking about investing with purpose.

February 6, 202639 min

The Art of Spending

In this episode of Capitalize Your Fridays, Taylor Dennis and Mike Williams explore The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel and challenge the idea that financial success is only about saving and investing. They discuss how spending well is a skill, how to distinguish real wealth from visible consumption, and why defining “enough” can be a financial superpower. The conversation dives into when spending supports freedom and reduces stress versus when it quietly erodes it. Listeners will walk away with a more thoughtful framework for aligning their spending with their values, priorities, and long-term goals.

January 23, 202629 min

Rethinking Retirement

In this episode of Capitalize Your Fridays, Taylor and Mike challenge the traditional idea that retirement is a single finish line at age 65 and instead explore how a more flexible, multi-stage approach can reduce financial risk and improve quality of life. They break down the financial pros and cons of early retirement, working longer by design, sabbaticals, semi-retirement, and career transitions -- showing how longevity, market volatility, burnout, and income timing all shape smarter planning decisions. Rather than treating work and retirement as “on or off,” this conversation reframes retirement as an evolving career cycle, helping you think more intentionally about cash flow, risk tolerance, and flexibility at every stage of life.

January 9, 202621 min

Simplified Economics Part IV: Good As Gold

Good as Gold — Sound Money in a Loud Metals MarketGold and silver have been anything but calm lately—surging, crashing, and frequently reacting to margin changes and headlines. In this episode, Mike and Taylor cover Judy Shelton's book Good as Gold: How to Unleash the Power of Sound Money and unpack why that volatility isn’t a failure of metals, but a signal of a monetary system without an anchor. They explore the difference between gold as money and gold as a trade, why silver gets pulled in every direction at once, and how discretionary policy turns prices into pressure gauges. The takeaway: the noise in today’s markets isn’t random—it’s what happens when the measuring stick won’t sit still.