Capitalize Your Fridays!

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

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Episodes

126

Latest episode

Jul 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

July 31, 202629 min

Social Security Resilience Planning

Prompted by recent headlines about Social Security's funding challenges, Mike Williams and Taylor Dennis discuss what retirees and future retirees should know about projected benefit shortfalls, retirement income risks, and future policy changes. They explain why Social Security is not going bankrupt but it could have future impacts and why claiming early out of fear may be a mistake. They also discuss how ALTIUS Financial's Social Security Resilience Planning can help stress-test retirement income, build tax flexibility, strengthen portfolio resilience, and reduce dependence on uncertainbenefit assumptions.

July 17, 202635 min

Planning Your Digital Legacy

In this episode, Taylor Dennis of ALTIUS Financial is joined by North Rittner of Rocky Mountain Technical Solutions for a practical conversation on planning your digital legacy. Building on ALTIUS Financial’s recent virtual workshop, they discuss what counts as a digital asset, why a will alone may not provide access to online accounts, how password managers and legacy contacts can help, and why secure planning is especially important for assets like cryptocurrency and digital banking. The conversation offers a simple first step toward making your digital life more secure, organized, and accessible to loved ones when it matters most.

July 3, 202631 min

The Abundance Story

In this special Independence Day episode of Capitalize Your Fridays , Taylor and Mike step back from the usual market headlines to explore “The American Abundance Story”—the idea that prosperity is built by free people using their minds to solve problems, create value, trade, invest, and improve life over time. Rather than ignoring real concerns like debt, inflation, political dysfunction, geopolitical risk, and AI disruption, Mike explains how rational optimism keeps those risks in context by focusing on the deeper engine of progress: freedom, ownership, productivity, and human creativity. The conversation connects Independence Day, financialfreedom, artificial intelligence, and long-term investing, reminding listeners that a diversified portfolio represents more than ticker symbols—it is ownership in productive businesses and participation in future problem-solving. Taylor and Mike also share practical takeaways for staying disciplined, avoiding both pessimism and hype, and keeping financial decisions anchored to a thoughtful plan rather than short-term emotion.

June 19, 202633 min

IPO Craze

In this episode of Capitalize Your Fridays , Mike and Taylor dive into the excitement, opportunities, and risks surrounding Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). With high-profile companies making headlines and investor interest heating up, they break down what an IPO actually is, why companies choose to go public, and the tradeoffs that come with entering the public markets. The conversation explores recent IPO buzz, including the renewed focus on AI and space-related companies (like Anthropic and SpaceX), while highlighting the difference between investor enthusiasm and disciplined investing. They also discuss the unique risks of IPO investing—from volatility and limited public track records to lofty market expectations—and share the practical questions every investor should ask before buying into a newly public company. Whether you're intrigued by the latest market headlines or simply want to become a more informed investor, this episode offers valuable perspective on evaluating IPO opportunities through the lens of long-term financial planning rather than short-term hype.

June 5, 202630 min

Funding Your Future

If you’ve ever asked, “How much do I actually need to retire?”, this episode is for you. We unpack the math behind retirement planning, explain how compounding turns consistency into wealth, and break down concepts like the 4% rule, savings strategies, and tax diversification. Tune in to discover how to align your savings with your lifestyle goals and build a future you’re excited about.

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.