The Practical Wealth Show

Hosted by Curtis May

Business Education

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407

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Oct 2026

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About the show

The Practical Wealth Podcast is for people who want to take control of their finances today. Curtis May is part of the Prosperity Economics movement and is dedicated to breaking down each client's unique financial situation so they can rebuild it to fit their ideal lifestyle.

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60 recent

October 29, 2026Episode 4111 hr 0 min

Can AI Find Your Business_ Turning Your Expertise Into New Customers__

Can AI Find Your Business? Turning Your Expertise Into New Customers | Patrick Yepez When potential customers ask ChatGPT or other AI tools to recommend a business like yours, will your company show up—or will they find your competition? In this episode of The Practical Wealth Show , Curtis May sits down with Patrick Yepez, founder of Dream Big Marketing Services , to explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way customers discover, evaluate, and choose businesses. Patrick brings more than 40 years of real estate experience as a broker-owner, investor, landlord, builder, and developer. Today, he helps business owners improve their online visibility through Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) . Whether you're a real estate investor, entrepreneur, contractor, financial professional, or small business owner, this conversation reveals how to turn your expertise into greater visibility, credibility, and potential customers. What You'll Learn: SEO vs. GEO: Why ranking on Google isn't the same as being recommended by AI. The Four Layers of AI Visibility: Indexability, clarity, evidence, and corroboration. Building Digital Trust: How customer reviews, Google Business Profiles, testimonials, and backlinks strengthen your online presence. Turn Expertise Into Customers: How podcasts, YouTube videos, books, blogs, and FAQs can help demonstrate your authority. Real Estate Investor Strategies: How to make your business more discoverable when motivated sellers search for solutions. A Real-World Case Study: How Patrick helped a real estate investment company improve its website and generate an inquiry through ChatGPT. Measure What Matters: How to evaluate website traffic, inquiries, and whether your marketing is producing business. FREE RESOURCE: AI Visibility for Real Estate Investors Patrick is offering Practical Wealth Show listeners a complimentary digital copy of his new book, AI Visibility for Real Estate Investors , ahead of its official Amazon release. The book combines Patrick's extensive real estate experience with practical strategies for helping AI search systems find, understand, and recognize your business. Get your complimentary digital copy here: https://reiaivisibility.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AI-Visibility-for-Real-Estate-Investors.pdf FREE AI Visibility Audit Want to know what ChatGPT and other AI search engines say about your business? Patrick is offering a complimentary AI visibility audit to help identify opportunities to improve how your business appears in AI-powered searches. Real estate investors who mention The Practical Wealth Show can also receive Patrick's complimentary REI Bonus Pack, featuring additional guides, checklists, and educational resources. Schedule your free audit: https://aioptimization.dreambigmarketingservices.com Connect with Patrick Yepez: https://patrickyepez.me Connect With Curtis May At Practical Wealth Solutions, we believe building wealth starts with controlling what you can control—your cash flow, your capital, and your financial decisions. Discover how our principles-based financial strategies can help you build greater financial control and long-term wealth. Schedule a Financial Freedom Strategy Session: https://practicalwealth.net/FreedomSession Subscribe to The Practical Wealth Show for practical conversations about money, business ownership, financial independence, and creating lasting wealth. If you found this episode valuable, LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE it with a business owner who needs to be found by more customers. Question for you: Have you ever asked ChatGPT to recommend a business in your industry? Did your company appear in the results? Tell us in the comments. #ThePracticalWealthShow #AIVisibility #GenerativeEngineOptimization #PatrickYepez #SmallBusinessMarketing #RealEstateInvesting #BusinessGrowth #ChatGPT #GEO #CurtisMay

October 19, 20261 hr 3 min

How do you use real estate to create financial freedom without building yourself another job

Joel Kraut joins Curtis May to discuss why property ownership alone does not create financial freedom. Drawing on his experiences as an investor, contractor, landlord, and private lender, Joel shares what rapid growth, financial loss, and rebuilding taught him about cash, leverage, and relationships. The conversation expands into building sustainable businesses, turning business income into assets outside the business, choosing trustworthy partners, and finding the courage to seek help when finances feel disorganized. Key lessons: • Distinguish the work that earns today's income from assets intended to support future income. • Understand the cash requirements and downside of a deal before committing. • Match financing terms to the investment's realistic timeline and contingencies. • Evaluate partners as carefully as the property. • Build a plan around the life and cash flow you want, rather than a door count. • Existing relationships deserve ongoing investment. • Shame can delay the very conversation that helps someone take the next step.

October 8, 202653 min

The Realtors Survival Mindset How to Recognize Danger Before It Develops

Michael McClain spent three decades with the Philadelphia Police Department, including 25 years in narcotics, where recognizing small changes in people and environments could be the difference between control and crisis. After becoming a Realtor, he heard agents describe uncomfortable showings, vacant-property visits, and meetings with unfamiliar prospects. He realized that many professionals were entering risky situations without a repeatable safety process. In this conversation, Michael explains how professionals can screen new contacts, establish meeting conditions, use check-in partners, recognize boundary testing, and change the environment before a situation escalates. He introduces a simple green, yellow, and red model: continue when conditions are normal, make an adjustment when something feels wrong, and avoid waiting until the situation becomes an emergency. The episode also explores calm authority, de-escalation, the danger of letting a commission override judgment, and three practical habits listeners can begin immediately. The result is not a message of fear. It is a message of professional preparation: awareness creates options. Key Lessons Trust the signal without panicking. An uneasy feeling is not proof of danger, but it is a reason to slow down, gather information, and reassess the environment. Control the first interaction. Begin with questions, verify how the prospect found you, and use a preliminary phone or video conversation before agreeing to an in-person meeting. Set the conditions of the meeting. Choose the time, location, and process. If the person repeatedly pushes toward isolation, darkness, or an unfamiliar location, treat the pattern as meaningful. Use a partner or check-in system. Bringing another person, sharing your location, and scheduling a timed check-in create accountability and may deter someone seeking an easy target. Move during the yellow zone. If conditions shift, change the location, end the appointment, move toward other people, or call a colleague. Do not wait until the situation reaches red. Do not let the commission make the decision. An unusually attractive deal can cause a professional to ignore the same warning signs they would otherwise recognize. Use company policy to enforce boundaries. A standard intake and verification process makes safety requirements feel professional rather than personal. Project calm authority. Posture, eye contact, preparation, and direct communication can show confidence without creating a confrontation. Training must be practiced. A weapon or technique that has not been practiced can create false confidence and may make the situation worse. Prepare for departure. Park for a clear exit, know your location, and identify the person you will contact if you need help. To invite Michael to speak or train your team, text 267-319-3548 or email michael.opendoors@gmail.com.

October 8, 2026Episode 4011 hr 9 min

Why Small Businesses Stay Stuck: 3 Systems to Grow Revenue & Profit | Leahcim James

What keeps a small business from reaching the next level? In this episode of The Practical Wealth Show, Curtis May sits down with entrepreneur, business-growth strategist, and author Leahcim James to break down the systems that separate a growing business from one that stays stuck. Leahcim shares his journey from launching his first company at 22 and growing it to more than $4 million in revenue to experiencing serious financial challenges despite the company's success. The conversation explores Leahcim's Profit, Path, Process framework, how to create a Market-Dominating Position, why business owners need predictable lead generation, how to build stronger offers, and why adding more products isn't always the answer. Curtis and Leahcim also explore an important distinction: Growing a successful business and becoming a wealthy business owner are not necessarily the same thing. Business owners need systems for generating revenue—but they also need systems for controlling cash flow, building liquidity, creating capital and ultimately turning business success into personal wealth. What You'll Learn The three reasons businesses get stuck: Profit, Path and Process Why revenue growth doesn't automatically create wealth How Leahcim grew a multimillion-dollar company and still encountered financial trouble How to develop a Market-Dominating Position Why you shouldn't introduce yourself by simply stating your job title The difference between a service and a compelling offer Why "shiny object syndrome" hurts business growth Seven approaches to generating leads Why educational workshops can be powerful business-development tools How to build a business that is less dependent on its owner Why profitability matters more than impressive revenue numbers How to become a "local legend" in your market Why business owners need to think about both business growth and wealth creation

October 1, 202642 min

Your Business Hase You Telling It Right? | James Jackson

James Jackson is President and Co-Owner of D. Luminous Productions, a Philadelphia-area film production company specializing in brand films, documentaries, narratives and commercials. In this Small Business Spotlight conversation, Curtis May and James go beyond cameras and production to explore what it takes to turn a creative talent into a sustainable business. James explains why effective video starts with understanding the message before turning on the camera, why authenticity and connection matter more than simply producing beautiful footage, and some of the mistakes business owners make when creating their own content. They also get into the business behind the art: pricing creative services, accounting for equipment, software, insurance and operating expenses, knowing when to say no, building a team, and creating a company that can eventually operate without the founder being involved in every project. James also shares his perspective on AI-generated video and why he believes human connection and authentic storytelling remain an important competitive advantage. In this episode: Turning a creative talent into a business Storytelling versus simply producing video The biggest video mistake small businesses make Why audio matters more than most entrepreneurs realize Pricing creative services based on value Hidden costs creative entrepreneurs often overlook Artist versus CEO thinking AI video versus authentic human storytelling Building a production company that can scale beyond its founder James's vision for D. Luminous Productions

September 30, 2026Episode 40137 min

How to Use LinkedIn to Build Relationships and Generate Business | Ryan Harbinson

LinkedIn doesn't have to become another full-time job. In this episode of The Practical Wealth Show, Curtis May talks with LinkedIn strategist Ryan Harbinson about using LinkedIn for business development not just posting content or sending sales pitches. Ryan explains how business owners can build relationships, improve visibility, turn networking into conversations, and create a simple daily LinkedIn routine that actually supports business growth. 00:00 – Using LinkedIn for Business Development 02:00 – Sales vs. Business Development 04:30 – Ryan's LinkedIn Journey 09:00 – The 3 Networking Groups to Join 12:00 – What Business Owners Get Wrong on LinkedIn 14:00 – The 15-Minute Daily LinkedIn Routine 16:00 – Cleaning Up Your Connections 20:00 – Turning Connections Into Conversations 23:00 – Following Up After Networking Events 27:00 – The Minimum Effective Content Strategy 30:00 – Using Native Video on LinkedIn 33:00 – Visibility vs. Positioning 35:00 – Finding Strategic Groups and Prospects 38:00 – Who Ryan Helps 41:00 – How to Start Conversations Without Selling 44:00 – Relationships First, Sales Second Subscribe to The Practical Wealth Show for conversations on business development, financial freedom, entrepreneurship, wealth building, and strategic relationships.

September 24, 2026Episode 40049 min

How to Build Cash Flow, Reduce Risk & Create Financial Freedom | Fernando Angelucci

What's the difference between making a lot of money and actually building wealth? In this episode of The Practical Wealth Show, Curtis May talks with Fernando Angelucci, CEO of Self Storage Syndicated, about moving from transactional income to asset ownership, passive cash flow, and financial freedom. Fernando shares how he transitioned from engineering and residential real estate into self-storage and explains how investors should think about cash flow, leverage, taxes, liquidity, risk, syndications, and sponsor due diligence. 00:00 – Making Money vs. Building Wealth 01:44 – Fernando's Real Estate Journey 03:07 – Why High Earners Still Struggle to Build Wealth 04:41 – What Financial Freedom Really Means 07:31 – Fernando's $97K Credit Card Story 10:50 – Why Self-Storage 14:04 – Returns, Risk and Resilience 21:45 – Financial Foundation Before Investing 23:18 – How to Vet a Syndicator 24:54 – Tax Advantages of Real Estate 30:35 – Turning Income Into Assets 34:28 – Rules of Investing 37:32 – What $250M in Assets Really Means 40:18 – Active Investing vs. Mailbox Money 43:25 – Fernando's Definition of Wealth 44:55 – Who Fernando Wants to Connect With Subscribe to The Practical Wealth Show for conversations on Infinite Banking, cash flow, real estate, financial freedom, business ownership, and multigenerational wealth.

September 17, 2026Episode 39737 min

From Entrepreneur to CEO: How to Build a Business That Runs Without You | Marie Rose

What separates someone who owns a business from someone who has simply created another job? Marie Rose learned that distinction by building Rosebud Studios from eight offices into a multi-location business-development operation serving dozens of entrepreneurs. In this episode of the Small Business Spotlight, Curtis May sits down with Marie to unpack what happened behind the growth. Marie explains how she transitioned from government employment into entrepreneurship, experimented with several businesses, discovered the event-space model and ultimately identified a larger opportunity: creating physical and virtual environments where small businesses could operate, learn, build relationships and gain access to resources. But the conversation isn't simply about Rosebud. Curtis and Marie explore what entrepreneurs must change as their companies grow. In this episode: Marie's unexpected journey into entrepreneurship How she landed her first event space through cold calling Why following customer demand led to Rosebud's expansion Going from eight offices to multiple locations Why Marie stopped describing Rosebud as merely a coworking space Turning a hustle into a legitimate business Why entrepreneurs must get comfortable being uncomfortable The importance of getting into bigger rooms Moving from entrepreneur to CEO Working on the business instead of constantly in it Why Marie listens to roughly a book a week Building a company capable of operating without you How Marie evaluates whether she's ready to expand Why she recently paused an expansion even after announcing it Using occupancy, revenue and other numbers to guide decisions Why a successful business isn't automatically personal wealth Creating automated and scalable income streams Thinking about succession and exit strategy Building community and strategic relationships Marie's vision for Rosebud Studios Her desire to speak and facilitate more business workshops One of the strongest lessons from Marie's story: Growth doesn't always mean doing more. Sometimes becoming a better CEO means knowing when not to expand.

September 10, 2026Episode 39747 min

How to Start & Grow a Profitable Trucking Business Without Owning a Truck | Johnique Taylor

Most people think getting into trucking means buying a truck, finding loads and driving. Johnique Taylor—the "Queen of Trucking"—says that's one of the biggest misconceptions about the industry. With 28 years of experience across trucking, logistics, supply chain, driving, dispatching, training and entrepreneurship, Johnique explains why many new trucking businesses fail, why buying equipment shouldn't necessarily be your first move, and how entrepreneurs can create multiple streams of income within the trucking ecosystem. Curtis and Johnique discuss the difference between owning a truck and building a trucking business, controlling overhead, maintaining access to capital, surviving changing freight markets, and creating additional revenue from assets already inside your business. Johnique also shares how she turned trucks into mobile advertising platforms and why collaboration with professionals outside the trucking industry creates additional opportunities for trucking entrepreneurs. This episode isn't only about trucking. It's about the fundamental difference between creating another job for yourself and building a business capable of producing income, capital and long-term wealth. In This Episode Why new trucking entrepreneurs struggle Owning a truck vs. owning a trucking business How to enter trucking without immediately buying equipment Dispatching and logistics opportunities Why excessive overhead can destroy a new trucking company Building multiple streams of income inside one industry Business credit, liquidity and financial resilience Turning trucks into mobile advertising assets Finding hidden revenue opportunities inside your business Networking and strategic collaboration Lessons from Johnique's military background Women in trucking Building a business designed for longevity rather than quick money Website: https://solidrocksolutionsgroup.com Email: johniquetaylor@yahoo.com Phone: 404-960-1766 Brand: The Real Queen of Trucking

September 3, 2026Episode 39737 min

Land Development Investing: How to Protect Your Capital and Build Wealth | Brandon Cobb

How does land development actually create wealth and how do you protect yourself from losing your capital along the way? In this episode of The Practical Wealth Show, Curtis May sits down with real estate developer and HBG Capital founder Brandon Cobb to unpack the economics of land development, capital preservation and building long-term wealth. Brandon's journey began after unexpectedly losing his medical-device sales job. After several failed entrepreneurial attempts, he entered real estate, eventually growing from house flipping into construction, capital raising and residential land development. But the journey wasn't without expensive lessons. Brandon shares how one land-development mistake resulted in a seven-figure loss and the rules he follows today because of it. Curtis and Brandon discuss: Land development and entitlement How developers force appreciation Capital preservation Return of capital vs. return on capital Real estate due diligence Evaluating an investment sponsor/operator Multiple exit strategies Passive vs. active real estate investing Building assets from business income Lifestyle design Financial freedom Using wealth to create meaningful experiences Brandon also explains why investors should understand what would have to happen for an investment merely to break even before getting excited about projected returns. This conversation isn't just about making money. It's about protecting capital, creating assets and ultimately using wealth to create greater control over your life.

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