Day in a Canoe Podcast: Financial Planning, Wealth Management, RIA

Hosted by Nathan Mersereau

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100

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Think of the people you interact with every day, would you want to spend a day in a canoe with them? This show is all about creating the life that you want, one filled with wealth, wisdom, meaning and purpose. And that starts with surrounding yourself with the right people – people you'd want to spend a day with, in a canoe.

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October 19, 202619 min

How a Life-Altering Accident Redefined True Wealth with Natalia Sokolova of SGG World

True wealth isn't only measured in dollars; it's measured in gratitude, resilience, and how we show up for the people we love. We sit down with Natalia Sokolova , Managing Partner of SGG World , an entrepreneur, investor, and author of "Unbreakable: The Guide to Truewealth™ and a Fulfilled Life." We explore how surviving a life-altering car accident at 17 shaped her perspective on resilience, gratitude, and what true wealth really means, and how she brings that philosophy into conversations about money, family, and legacy. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Gratitude and resilience, and a great-grandmother's survival story. 02:59 After a car accident at 17, doctors gave Natalia little chance to walk; gratitude carried her through recovery. 04:19 How to manage fear and anxiety. 04:36 A short daily gratitude practice to reset the mind during hard moments. 06:42 Money alone doesn't create happiness; it amplifies wellbeing only when paired with inner peace and purpose. 09:16 Chasing status or unattainable goals creates stress; how to find true fulfillment. 11:00 Giving children unlimited money too early, without gratitude or purpose, often backfires long-term. 14:31 Guiding money conversations with kids. 15:20 Encourage kids to explore interests until they find work that feels like passion, not labor. 18:25 Building a school safety platform using autonomous, US-manufactured drone technology. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment, a free tool to help you define what true wealth means to you SGG World, Natalia Sokolova's family office and investment firm helping entrepreneurs and families build wealth aligned with purpose "Unbreakable: The Guide to Truewealth™ and a Fulfilled Life" by Natalia Sokolova, her book on resilience, wealth, and human potential #Gratitude #TrueWealth #Resilience

October 5, 202620 min

Why Gen Z Is Redefining Work, Wealth, and What Matters with Ziad Ahmed of United Talent Agency

We sit down with Ziad Ahmed , Head of Next Gen at United Talent Agency and Founder of JUV Consulting, the Gen Z marketing consultancy he built at 16 and grew into a trusted partner for more than 20 Fortune 500 companies before its acquisition by UTA. We explore what traditional institutions get wrong about Gen Z, why real conversation, not more research, is the path past generational assumptions, and how a generation shaped by inequality, comparison, and a global pandemic is rewriting its relationship to work, money, and what a meaningful life actually looks like. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 02:15 Executives rarely speak with Gen Z as equals; most conversations happen through a lens of hierarchy, not partnership. 03:44 Bridging the generational gap starts with unlearning outdated assumptions about status, hierarchy, and credentialing. 06:12 Across generations, most people share the same overwhelm; what differs is what triggers it and how often. 09:00 Ziad founded JUV Consulting at 16, sold it at 25, and now leads Next Gen at United Talent Agency. 10:00 Income inequality is at a modern high, fueling a shared, cross-generational sense that the world feels unequal. 11:11 Constant social comparison online is reshaping Gen Z's approach to dating, careers, and long-term commitment. 12:23 The pandemic forced a moment of recalibration, pushing many to question the paths they'd been given. 14:40 More of Gen Z is asking whether the goal is wealth, impact, alignment, or simply a joyful life. 15:04 Economic uncertainty is driving polarized spending habits, with the same person swinging between austerity and indulgence. 17:11 Ziad's hope is a less zero-sum world, with Gen Z helping model what shared, mutual progress looks like. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment United Talent Agency #GenZ #FutureOfWork #GenerationalShifts

September 21, 202620 min

Cover-Ups, Codebreakers, and the Coastline War with Sara Vladic

Scientists. Mobsters. Double agents. Retirees. Volunteer pilots. A Boy Scout. That's not a movie pitch — it's the actual cast of characters that New York Times bestselling author and documentary filmmaker uncovered. Sara Vladic returns to discuss "The Dangerous Shore" and the hidden fight to defend America's coastline in World War II. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction: Sara Vladic returns to discuss her acclaimed work on the USS Indianapolis and her new book, "The Dangerous Shore." 04:58 Sara recaps the USS Indianapolis story: a flagship sunk in 12 minutes, followed by days adrift at sea. 07:40 The cover-up of a German submarine attack three miles off the coast of Maine. 08:37 Roughly 660 ships were sunk off American coastlines during World War II, largely unknown to the public. 09:00 With able-bodied men overseas, women, minorities, and the young and old stepped up to defend the coastline. 10:48 Notorious mobsters worked secretly with Naval Intelligence to protect New York's wartime shipping industry. 13:05 Civilian pilots strapped homemade bombs to small planes to patrol for German U-boats along the coast. 14:32 Engineer Joe Desch built the American "Bombe," a machine that helped break German U-boat codes. 15:59 Sara reflects on how ordinary people's small actions shaped the outcome of a global war. 17:50 Sara's advice for today: sit down, listen, and have real conversations with people who see things differently. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment https://www.planningalt.com "The Dangerous Shore" by Sara Vladic https://www.saravladic.com/the-dangerous-shore "Indianapolis" by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Indianapolis/Lynn-Vincent/9781501135958 Documentary: "USS Indianapolis: The Legacy" https://www.saravladic.com/documentary #WWIIHistory #HiddenHistory #Storytelling

September 8, 202619 min

Why Detroit Is Becoming the Next Great Art City with Amani Olu of Season Fair and Olu & Company

Amani Olu, Founder and Curatorial Director of Season Fair, and Founder and Lead Strategist of Olu & Company, joins us to explore what it takes to build a creative economy from the ground up. Amani shares the journey from his days as an art publicist in New York to founding Detroit Art Week and Season Fair, an annual contemporary art fair at Michigan Central that's changing what a fair can look like for artists, galleries, and collectors. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Introduction. 03:10 Art publicity teaches you to understand a business before you can promote it. 04:47 Detroit Art Week shifts the city's narrative by putting the art scene front and center. 05:30 Visibility without a market leaves artists moving away and galleries closing. 06:35 Season Fair launches at Michigan Central, built around connecting collectors to artists directly. 10:15 Detroit has a creative surplus, Season Fair is designed to build the demand side. 11:57 Traditional art fairs cost galleries $30,000 or more just to participate. 13:12 The Dallas Art Fair takes 15 years to become a legitimate international destination. 14:10 Young artists need serious craft practice before opportunities can truly convert. 16:05 Social media lowers the gatekeeping barriers that once made grad school essential. 18:35 Save for taxes, plan for the down cycles, and focus on staying in the game. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. Resources Mentioned: Season Fair https://season-fair.com Olu & Company https://olucompany.com Michigan Central https://michigancentral.com Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment https://www.planningalt.com #Entrepreneurship #TrueWealth #CreativeEconomy

August 31, 202620 min

Why Misunderstanding Is the Root of Bad Communication with Devlin Fenton of Arch Engineers

We sit down with Devlin Fenton, CEO of Arch Engineers, to explore career pivots, confidence through fear, communication, and resilience after loss. Devlin shares what it took to leave trucking and technology behind for a completely different industry, and how he's approached leading a growing engineering company through the uncertainty that comes with it. Devlin talks through the mindset shifts that made that hard pivot work, before landing on a deeply personal reflection on loss and what it's taught him about resilience. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction and the challenge of aligning people, technology, and culture inside a growing organization. 02:54 Devlin describes leaving trucking and technology to lead a structural engineering company. 05:02 Fear is a constant in startup life; confidence and certainty are the tools he leans on. 06:16 Devlin reframes the old 'No Fear' brand into 'Know Fear,' facing fear, not denying it. 08:50 Over-planning rarely survives first contact; instinct matters as much as analysis. 09:38 The pivot to engineering was driven by market sentiment, not just financial modeling. 11:20 Real communication starts with recognizing that shared language doesn't guarantee shared meaning. 12:08 Dropping expectations in favor of clearly papered agreements with his team. 14:50 Losing his mother this year reshaped how Devlin thinks about resilience and preparedness. 18:21 Advice to a 20-year-old self: build a foundation, then get after it despite doubt. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment https://planningalt.com/ Arch Engineers Website https://archengineers.com/ #Leadership #CareerPivot #Resilience

August 17, 202620 min

Why Your Body Always Tells the Truth with Dr. Reggie Sehgal of HealthSource® – America's Chiropractor

We sit down with Dr. Reggie Sehgal , Owner and Doctor of Chiropractic of HealthSource® – America's Chiropractor , to explore what an integrated approach to health and human performance looks like across a lifetime. Reggie has been practicing for 27 years, beginning with a hockey injury at 15 that set him on the path to chiropractic care and eventually to opening his own practice. We discuss the emotional and physical reality of chronic pain, why 80% of Americans will experience back pain but only 12% seek chiropractic care, and what it actually means to move from crisis to wellness. We also explore discipline as the foundation of health at every life stage, the role of movement, meditation, and nutrition in sustaining quality of life, and what it costs — financially and personally — to trade health for productivity over the long run. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 02:17 Reggie's origin story: a hockey injury at 15, chiropractic care as a teenager, and the path from University of Windsor to chiropractic school in St. Louis to opening his own practice. 03:44 The emotional reality of pain: why patients feel their pain is unique, why healing takes longer than people expect, and why the doctor-patient relationship in chiropractic care is as much psychological as physical. 04:45 The wellness gap: 80% of Americans will experience back pain, but only 12% seek chiropractic care — and what that says about how we're currently managing pain. 05:54 Why people don't take action until pain stops them from doing something they love, and what that moment of loss reveals about how we've been overriding our body's signals. 07:21 True wealth and health: why saving money at the expense of physical wellbeing often means spending it all on recovery later, and how the practice helps patients move from crisis to sustained wellness. 09:42 Wellness at every life stage: the disciplines Dr. Reggie instills in his own children, why nutrition and movement matter from an early age, and how the aging process changes what the body needs. 11:46 What to prioritize in the 60s, 70s, and beyond: mental health, movement, and the emerging role of peptides and amino acids in supporting natural recovery. 13:40 The power of simple movement: Tai Chi, walking, and why even wheelchair-bound patients can benefit from intentional movement, and why cognitive behavioral approaches matter for elderly patients. 15:27 The discipline lesson: why the only difference between successful and unsuccessful people is their discipline, and how morning routines, meditation, and continuous learning compound over time. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment: www.planningalt.com "The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod https://miraclemorning.com/ "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score #PersonalGrowth #HealthAndWealth #WellnessLeadership

August 3, 202620 min

Succession, Focus, and Why Small Business Is Hard with Steve Divitkos of Mineola Search Partners

Steve Divitkos , Founder of Mineola Search Partners , joins us to explore a corner of entrepreneurship most people have never encountered: search funds and entrepreneurship through acquisition. Steve spent two years searching for a company, acquired a 20-year-old software business at 27, grew and professionalized it over seven years, and exited to a strategic acquirer — before becoming an investor in the next generation of search fund entrepreneurs. We discuss the looming succession crisis facing small businesses across North America, why focus beats diversification in building exit value, what culture actually means once you're inside a company, and what it truly costs to build something of your own. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 01:49 What a search fund is and how the model works. 03:19 Why small businesses often fall into a succession gap and what that means for their futures. 07:00 The "silver tsunami": why fewer than 10% of small businesses have formalized succession plans. 08:23 What sellers actually care about beyond the deal. 10:09 Why culture can't be assessed from the outside. 12:35 How narrowing focus and building a leadership team drove the value of Steve's exit. 15:07 The personal side of the entrepreneurial journey and the four pillars of support every entrepreneur needs. 17:32 A clear-eyed case for entrepreneurship and why it's still worth it. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment: https://www.planningalt.com/ Mineola Search Partners: https://mineolasearchpartners.com/ #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #SuccessionPlanning

July 20, 202623 min

A Decade of Documenting the West: Surrender, Creativity, and Redefining Wealth with Lindsay Linton Buk of Linton Productions

Lindsay Linton Buk, author, photographer, and founder of Linton Productions, joins us to share the decade-long story behind "Women Shaping the West," a documentary portrait and interview project that grew into a museum exhibition, a podcast, and a book released in March 2026. Lindsay reflects on what she learned about surrender, identity, and creativity across 25 stories of Wyoming women, and why the same philosophy that carried the project now shapes how she thinks about wealth, motherhood, and what comes next. We explore how Lindsay is navigating a business pivot in her 40s, what it means to build products that outlast a service-based model, and how Wyoming's history of women stepping forward, simply because space existed for them to do so, still carries a quiet lesson today. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 01:47 Why Wyoming's official motto, Equal Rights, shaped Lindsay's storytelling lens. 04:25 How returning from New York and feeling disconnected from the state sparked the idea for "Women Shaping the West". 09:48 Why she chose medium format film and what that decision cost — financially and creatively. 12:09 How reaching 34 weeks pregnant at the exhibit opening forced a reckoning with pace and identity. 14:48 Why surrender isn't resignation, and what it actually looks like to consciously do less. 16:30 How dreaming can be an active space, even during the years when production isn't possible. 18:22 Why the book took until 2026 to publish, and how letting go made it possible. 20:15 How becoming a mom revealed the ceiling of a service-based business model. 20:42 What entering her 40s clarified about the kind of wealth and creative work Lindsay wants to build. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED Linton Productions: https://www.lintonproductions.com/ Women Shaping the West (book): https://www.shapingthewest.com/ Wyoming Women's Foundation: https://wywf.org/ Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment: https://www.planningalt.com/ #WomenInCreative #TrueWealth #PurposefulLiving

July 6, 202623 min

Farming for the Future with Eli Cheatham of International Farming

We sit down with Eli Cheatham, President of International Farming, a food sourcing solutions platform working at the intersection of agriculture, investment, and stewardship. Eli shares the company's threefold mission — empowering farmers through technology, growing consciously by leaving the land better than they found it, and connecting farmers directly with food buyers — while exploring what it means to invest in land with patience and purpose, and why reconnecting consumers to the people who grow their food is the foundation of a truly sustainable future. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 00:37 What makes farmland a good long-term investment and the mindset of "patient money." 01:44 How technology is freeing farmers to focus on what they do best. 04:19 International Farming's threefold mission: empower farmers, grow consciously, feed the world. 06:00 The seven-cents-on-the-dollar reality and the case for streamlining the supply chain. 07:11 What gives Eli the most hope: the shift toward regenerative agriculture and consumer awareness. 09:31 TED Vancouver: the power of infectious passion and the case for authentic community. 14:06 What Eli would talk about at TED: trusting a cyclical life over a linear one. 18:50 Defining wealth, success, and leadership on your own terms. 23:06 The one thing Eli would tell her 20-year-old self: start meditating earlier. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. RESOURCES MENTIONED International Farming : https://internationalfarming.com Planning Alternatives Wealth Assessment : www.planningalt.com #RegenerativeAgriculture #ConsciousLeadership #TrueWealth

June 22, 202618 min

From Cattle Hides to Luxury Leather: Why Regenerative Supply Chains Are the Future with Cate Havstad-Casad

Cate Havstad-Casad, Founder and CEO of Range Revolution, is building the world's first luxury leather goods company rooted in regenerative agriculture and fully traceable American cattle hides. Cate shares her 12-year journey from a three-acre Oregon farm to managing 1,400 acres, why hides going to landfills represent one of farming's greatest missed economic opportunities, and how a single philosophy — "the means determine the ends" — shapes every decision she makes. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Introduction. 02:01 Cate introduces Range Revolution and her parallel careers in design and regenerative agriculture, both starting in 2013. 04:10 The 35% waste problem: only 65% of a cattle carcass becomes meat; hides going to landfills represent a high-value asset hiding in the waste stream. 07:10 Regenerative agriculture defined: shaping management systems to create enhanced ecological outcomes on the land, and why sustaining is no longer enough. 09:05 Finding perspective through ancestry and Buddhist philosophy: holding suffering and joy at the same time. 10:45 A 10-year vision: proving that materials from regenerative farming systems are a good business decision, not just an altruistic endeavor. 11:35 During a 116-degree heat wave, regeneratively managed soil held at 89 degrees while an unmanaged neighboring parcel reached 148 degrees — the difference between species survival and demise. 14:52 The philosophy: "The ends do not determine the means. The means determine the ends," and how it shapes how Cate builds Range Revolution. 17:10 True wealth defined: meaningful work that brings joy, and being part of redefining what is aspirational — away from status and exclusivity, toward natural fibers and regenerative systems. Thanks for joining us for the latest episode of "Day in a Canoe." If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of our insightful conversations. If you'd like us to help you define what true wealth means to you, go to www.planningalt.com and take our assessment. Planning Alternatives is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any opinions expressed may not reflect those of Planning Alternatives. Resources Mentioned: Range Revolution: https://rangerevolution.com Western Design Conference: https://westerndesignconference.com Bowen family systems theory: https://www.thebowencenter.org/ #RegenerativeAgriculture #LuxuryLeather #TrueWealth

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